Deputy minister Teo Nie Ching assures that Malaysia’s ICT infrastructure security remains fully protected under domestic law in the US trade agreement, with no veto power granted to any foreign party.
KUALA LUMPUR: The sovereignty and security of Malaysia’s information and communication technology infrastructure remain fully protected under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said all ICT infrastructure matters including 5G and 6G coverage, communication satellites and undersea cables are subject to Malaysian domestic laws and regulations.
She emphasised that provisions in the Malaysia-US ART do not grant any party veto power over Malaysia’s security positions.
“The clause states that Malaysia commits to only using communication technology suppliers that do not compromise security safeguards and ICT intellectual property infrastructure,” Teo said during the Dewan Rakyat committee stage debate on the Supply Bill 2026.
“Malaysia and the US will consult on whether suppliers can meet these demands, but our obligation is only to consult, meaning no party including the US has veto power over Malaysia.”
Meanwhile, Malaysia is awaiting official feedback from social media companies on implementing age verification using e-KYC processes before finalising the minimum age of 16 for account registration.
Teo noted that Malaysia’s approach requiring identity documents differs from Australia’s age assurance system without documents starting December 4.
She stressed that parental cooperation remains crucial in monitoring children’s online content since banning social media accounts doesn’t prevent internet use.
The ministry has intensified the Safe Internet Campaign since January with other agencies to enhance digital literacy among students and address social media addiction.
Teo also congratulated Malaysians who won six trophies at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, highlighting the growing prominence of the country’s film industry.
The government will continue providing special grants for film and creative content production through initiatives like the National Citra Production Special Fund and Film in Malaysia Incentive.
