Communications Minister says MCMC protects users, not a political censorship tool

During an appearance on The Tiger Show podcast, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil emphasized that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) serves public safety rather than political control of online expression. He clarified that removal of posts on sites like Facebook is decided by the platforms themselves, not by the minister or MCMC, and that the commission merely forwards complaints to the providers.

Fahmi said MCMC issues close to half a million removal requests, with about 90% being acted upon by the platforms. He added that platforms generally cooperate on content involving racial, religious or royal sensitivities, while satire often remains untouched. The minister also outlined plans for cross-ministry collaboration to regulate e-commerce, citing concerns over low-quality goods affecting local traders, especially Bumiputera merchants, and warned of potential consumer risks from non-Sirim-certified products.