Internet & Online Safety · Malaysia
Internet & Online Safety - Malaysia
Malaysia now has a dedicated, comprehensive online-safety statute: the Online Safety Act 2024 (Act 866) received Royal Assent on 6 May 2025 and took effect on 1 January 2026, imposing duties on online platforms and licensed providers to curb harmful content, with a strong child-protection focus. This sits alongside an MCMC class-licensing regime (effective 1 Jan 2025) requiring social-media and internet-messaging platforms with 8 million-plus Malaysian users to hold an ASP(C) licence, plus longstanding broad content-control and blocking powers under CMA 1998 (notably s.233).
The Online Safety Act 2024 (Act 866) was gazetted 22 May 2025 and came into force 1 January 2026, placing statutory duties on platforms and licensees to address harmful content and establishing an Online Safety Committee within MCMC to determine harmful-content categories and mitigation measures.
Since 1 January 2025, internet-messaging and social-media platforms with at least 8 million Malaysian users must obtain an annual MCMC Applications Service Provider Class (ASP(C)) licence; from 2026 such platforms are auto-registered via the s.46A 'deeming provision' (Ministerial Declaration) under CMA 1998.
Failure to comply with MCMC directions to remove harmful content is an offence carrying fines up to RM1 million plus up to RM100,000 per day of continued non-compliance; the licensing framework adds fines up to RM500,000 and up to five years' imprisonment, with power to suspend access or revoke licences.
Licensed platforms must deploy age-verification mechanisms restricting users under 13, maintain local content-moderation teams and complaint procedures, and file biannual safety reports; child safety and family protection are central goals of the Online Safety Act.
Uptake has been uneven: TikTok, WeChat and Telegram obtained ASP(C) licences while Meta (Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp), X and YouTube initially operated without one; MCMC sued Telegram in 2025 over content violations, signalling active enforcement.
CMA 1998 s.233 has long been used to block websites (e.g. Sarawak Report, Medium) and prosecute 'offensive' online posts; in August 2025 the Federal Court ruled the terms 'offensive' and 'annoy' in s.233 unconstitutional, while civil-society groups warn the new regime risks over-broad censorship.
Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/23/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →