Kuala Lumpur: A survey conducted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to verify that the number of X users (formerly Twitter) in the country is below eight million is anticipated to be completed in the third quarter of this year. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching announced this during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, X’s operator previously disclosed that they do not meet the criteria to apply for an Applications Service Provider Class Licence (ASP (C)) to operate in Malaysia, as their local user base does not reach the eight-million threshold. To address this, MCMC is conducting a survey to ascertain whether X has more than eight million users based on their data and analysis.
Teo also mentioned that MCMC is in discussions with the platform’s provider and two other companies, Meta and Google, which have yet to obtain an ASP (C) licence. She was responding to Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew’s inquiry regarding the Communications Ministry’s timeline for eligible companies to apply for an ASP (C) licence and the potential consequences of non-compliance.
The Deputy Minister clarified that while there is no fixed deadline for social media platform providers to secure the licence, MCMC may enforce several actions if they fail to apply. Under Section 126 of the amended Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, service providers convicted of an offence may face a fine of up to RM1 million or imprisonment of up to 10 years, alongside a daily fine of RM100,000 for each day the offence continues post-conviction. Additionally, Section 243 allows for imposing a compound not exceeding 50 per cent of the maximum fine amount.
In response to Senator Tiew Way Keng’s question on addressing fraud and other issues on Meta and Google platforms, Teo noted that as of March 15, 46,929 pieces of content had been removed from Facebook, including scams and online gambling links. She emphasized the ministry’s commitment to upholding freedom of speech while confronting challenges such as pornographic content, scams, and online gambling activities on platforms like Facebook.
Teo added that the government and MCMC would press Meta to enhance advertising procedures in Malaysia, akin to those in Singapore, where advertisers must verify their identity before posting ads. She questioned why stringent screening is applied only in Singapore and not globally, suggesting it’s worth considering similar measures in Malaysia and other countries.