PROPOSED AMENDMENTS CAN ENHANCE PROTECTION AGAINST ONLINE CRIMES - JEMENTAH STATE ASSEMBLYMAN

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- The proposed amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act (Act 589) mark an important step in protecting Malaysians from the dangers of an increasingly digital world, said Jementah state assemblyman Ng Kor Sim.

She said these changes signal a much-needed commitment to tackling crimes like online child exploitation, scams and hate speech while safeguarding the principles of freedom and accountability.

Ng said the urgency of these amendments cannot be overstated as official statistics show that an estimated 100,000 children in Malaysia are exposed to online sexual exploitation and abuse each year.

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The proposed changes, which enhance penalties and introduce clearer definitions of harmful content, demonstrate the seriousness of the MADANI government to clamp down on these violations, she added.

“Beyond child safety, the amendments also address the growing scourge of cybercrime. In 2023 alone, Malaysians lost RM1.2 billion to online scams, highlighting the sophistication of cybercriminals and the gaps in current legal protections,” she said in a statement today.

-She said by introducing provisions to tackle fraud, dishonesty and unsolicited electronic messages, the amendments aim to restore public confidence in the digital economy and ensure that online transactions are safer for all.

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Ng said an outstanding feature of the amendments is the effort to categorise offensive content into clear and specific definitions such as obscene, indecent, menacing and grossly offensive material.

“This clarity is essential for enforcing the law effectively and ensuring that harmful content is identified and removed swiftly. At the same time, the amendments take care to balance this with the protection of ethical journalism, satire and good-faith commentary,” she said.

She said while freedom of expression remains a cornerstone of Malaysia’s democratic values, hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric, especially on social media, have increasingly been exploited to sow division, incite unrest and threaten the harmony that binds Malaysians as a nation.

She said these amendments also align Malaysia with global best practices in Australia and Singapore, which have enacted similar laws to regulate harmful content and enhance protections for vulnerable groups.

“These reforms also address long-standing gaps in enforcement and accountability. For too long, predators, scammers and hate-mongers have exploited the anonymity and reach of the internet to harm others,” she said.

-- BERNAMA