Kuala Lumpur: The Online Safety Act 2024 is expected to be enforced soon after several key processes related to the legislation are finalised, according to Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. Fahmi, who is also MADANI Government spokesperson, stated that he is currently awaiting the draft of the Act from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which includes the regulations to be adopted. “Once the draft is ready and I sign the gazette to enforce the Act, then it will come into effect,” he announced at his weekly press conference today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fahmi mentioned that a committee will be established by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, to oversee the implementation of the Act. “This committee will have regulatory powers over the enforcement of the Act, such as defining what constitutes online harms,” he explained. Earlier, Azalina had mentioned that the new law would come into force once the Communications Minister signs the enforcement order, enabling the government to act swiftly to remove illegal content.

Under the Act, platform providers are required to fulfill specified duties of care. Azalina noted that while the Online Safety Act focuses on platform regulation and digital responsibilities, any issues involving children must be addressed within the framework of the Child Act 2001.

In a related development, Fahmi highlighted the increased involvement of sign language interpreters in key programmes to facilitate communication with persons with disabilities (PwD). “Insya-Allah, I will strive to ensure that sign language interpreters are not only present during Communications Ministry press conferences but also in upcoming parliament sessions and other areas. We want to highlight the role of sign language interpreters,” he added.