Social media licensing in Malaysia: Don’t take hasty action

ARTICLE 19 and the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) are deeply concerned about the recent announcement by the Malaysian government that a new regulatory framework will be introduced on Aug 1, 2024, with enforcement effective on Jan 1, 2025, for social media companies to obtain licences under the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998. We see this development as an attempt to exert control over social media platforms, which could have far-reaching implications for freedom of expression as guaranteed in Malaysia’s Federal Constitution.

Furthermore, there is a growing apprehension among civil society organisations (CSOs) that such regulatory measures could pose a significant threat to the underlying principle of the CMA’s Section 3(3), which states that “nothing in the CMA shall be construed as permitting the censorship of the Internet”.