SIPITANG: Malaysia will soon require all social media platforms to implement electronic Know Your Customer identity verification to ensure users under 13 do not own accounts.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the move aims to protect children online and ensure that community guidelines set by the platforms are properly enforced.
He made it clear to social media platform representatives last month that Malaysia will make identity verification mandatory especially to prevent children below 13 from having accounts.
Fahmi will present the exact timeline to the Cabinet before making an official announcement.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will hold a meeting with social media companies next week to discuss immediate steps towards implementing the requirement.
Beyond child protection he said eKYC is also crucial to curb online scams and harmful content such as gambling and fake advertisements.
Many platforms have been misused by criminals for scams with 78% of all scam-related content taken down coming from Facebook.
Meanwhile the NADI on Wheels initiative aims to expand digital access and bring information technology to rural communities.
There are currently 1,099 NADI centres nationwide including 131 in Sabah.
The programme in Sipitang features Starlink connectivity with speeds of up to 250 Mbps and several tablets for digital and entrepreneurship training.
Fahmi also highlighted the upcoming RM2 billion MADANI Submarine Cable Connectivity project linking Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah.
The SALAM project is expected to be completed within two to three years with a coastal submarine cable network from Tanjung Aru to Tawau along the Sabah coast.
The project will be a ministry priority to ensure stable communications in Sabah and to reduce reliance on existing submarine cables.
At the same time MCMC will focus on telecom tower maintenance in flood-prone areas by implementing site hardening and hybrid power systems to improve resilience. – Bernama
