Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil says website blocks target only illegal content like gambling and pornography, not media organisations, upholding media freedom.
KUALA LUMPUR: Website access blocks imposed by the government do not target media organisations, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said restrictions are a last-resort measure confined to content that clearly violates the law, such as gambling and pornography.
“Such action is rarely taken except for certain specific websites,” he said during Dewan Negara question time.
He was responding to a question on the government’s stance in safeguarding media freedom involving foreign media portals.
Fahmi stressed the government does not impose licensing or regulatory controls on online media, whether local or foreign.
However, he said action can be taken if content misuses network services under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
He said enforcement by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is subject to complaints and legal assessment, not differing views.
Fahmi added the Act contains extraterritorial provisions, allowing action against parties outside the country if content impacts Malaysia.
On efforts to align media freedom with ethics, he said both are strengthened through policy, law and the Malaysian Media Council.
He said the council plays a key role in developing ethical journalism standards and drafting codes of conduct for practitioners.
These efforts are reinforced by the Malaysian Journalists’ Code of Ethics 2024, he added.
The code emphasises challenges like fake news and AI content manipulation, focusing on source verification and fair reporting.
On Malaysia’s media freedom ranking, Fahmi said indices are relative but the government will continue to uphold the principle.
