PETALING JAYA: The government is mulling a proposal to raise the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 16, with enforcement tied to official identification such as MyKad, passports or MyDigital IDs, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
He said the proposal, discussed by the Cabinet yesterday, is among several measures aimed at bolstering online safety and addressing issues affecting students, in line with practices in countries such as Australia and Indonesia.
Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would hold detailed discussions with social media companies in Singapore next week to finalise the mechanism for implementing the policy.
“We agreed to send a delegation comprising not only MCMC officials but also representatives from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Criminal Investigation Department, other agencies and the Finance Ministry to examine recurring issues concerning these platforms and identify solutions.”
He said implementation would be carried out in accordance with existing laws, including the Personal Data Protection Act, which applies
to what are considered commercial transactions.
“This means that all commercial transactions conducted by entities, including social media platforms and e-wallet companies, are subject to these laws.”
Fahmi said further discussions would be held with Bank Negara Malaysia and other relevant agencies, taking into account the existing
e-KYC (electronic know your customer) systems used by several
e-wallet apps such as Touch ‘n Go and Grab, which verify users using official government documents such as the MyKad.
“We will examine this aspect carefully and announce a timeline in due course. I want to emphasise that discussions with social media platforms, as decided by the Cabinet are still at the policy stage.”
Fahmi added that the Cabinet also discussed a proposal to increase police presence in schools as part of joint efforts with the police to ensure a safer learning environment and strengthen student safety.
He said the Education Ministry would issue guidelines for schools to conduct weekly random spot checks to maintain discipline and security among students.
“A comprehensive study will also be carried out to examine the issues faced by schools, and a special task force will be established to prepare a report that will soon be presented to the Cabinet for further action.”
He said the study would also consider the role of parents in addressing these challenges.
Fahmi said he had also instructed MCMC to take action against social media and e-commerce platforms that allow the sale of unauthorised or counterfeit products.
“The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the Health Ministry, through the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, have from time to time directed MCMC to remove prohibited items, including drugs.”
He stressed the need for stronger cooperation among agencies such as MCMC, police and the Home Ministry to identify products that require enforcement action.
“MCMC has also been directed to study possible measures against
e-commerce companies that fail to cooperate, to ensure that they comply with government directives and national laws. If these platforms fail to ensure that users are protected from online harm, action can be taken against them.”
