Malaysian regulator sees 5,203 items taken down from online platforms since 2022, with new Online Safety Act now in force to combat harmful material.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has secured the removal of 80% of pornographic content it flagged to online platforms over a four-year period.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said MCMC requested the takedown of 6,481 items from platform providers between January 1, 2022, and last Sunday.
He confirmed that 5,203 items, or 80% of the total, were subsequently removed by the service providers.
“The removal of content by these service providers is carried out based on complaints received, in accordance with the providers’ community guidelines and the application of existing local laws,” Fahmi told the Dewan Negara.
He was responding to a question from Senator Mohd Hasbie Muda on government measures to curb pornographic websites.
Fahmi added that platform providers also blocked 4,380 pornographic websites following MCMC requests during the same period.
To ensure comprehensive online safety, the government enforced the Online Safety Act (Act 866) from January 1, 2026.
The act requires licensed application and content service providers under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to regulate harmful online content.
“Since Act 866 took effect, MCMC has requested the removal of six pornographic contents, all of which were taken down by service providers,” he said.
On public awareness, Fahmi noted the Safe Internet Campaign has reached 472,066 students across 9,383 schools and higher education institutions.
Another 554 programmes engaged 426,381 participants nationwide from 2025 to March 1.
Responding to a question on eliminating access to pornographic websites, Fahmi said the government is identifying the best mechanism for restrictions.
“The ideal approach involves new laws to prosecute local developers of such applications or websites in court,” he said.
“For foreign websites, we need international cooperation, which presents challenges.”
He concluded that the best course is to lead by example within families and communities to refrain from normalising such content.
