KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia hopes to collaborate with other Asean countries to strive for better regulations and work together as a regional bloc on matters related to online safety and the digital environment, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is also the unity government spokesman, says that Malaysia, as the chair of Asean next year, will strive to organise Asean-led forums and achieve significant milestones.
He says the regional regulator framework on online safety is anticipated to facilitate coordination and collaboration among Asean member states in addressing challenges related to online safety.
This includes building regional consensus on Asean's commitment to safeguarding the digital environment.
"With that aspiration, let us channel our collective efforts towards fostering a more integrated and resilient Asean.
"By collaborating effectively and embracing innovative regulatory practices, we can ensure a brighter, more secure future for all our nations," he said in his officiating speech at the International Regulatory Conference (IRC) here yesterday.
Present were his deputy Teo Nie Ching and ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din.
Fahmi says in Asean, the vision is for a community that is peaceful, stable and resilient, which is capable of effectively responding to challenges and is positioned as an outward-looking region within the global community while still maintaining Asean's centrality.
The Lembah Pantai member of parliament says as the Asean Community Vision 2025 ends next year, it prompts bloc members to consider what the next decade holds for Asean, including the strategies and goals that will define the region'sfuture trajectory.
"To address both current and future challenges and trends from within and outside the region, we propose to develop an inspiring, inclusive and forward-looking post-2025 vision for the Asean Community spanning the next 20 years."
On Malaysia's ongoing efforts to build a resilient community which include ramping up Malaysia's cybersecurity efforts to prioritise online safety, Fahmi says the government also recently passed the Cyber Security Bill 2024 to strengthen our national cybersecurity framework.
He adds that the bill aims to safeguard digital borders and protect Malaysians from emerging cyberthreats.
"The government is finalising a framework for regulating online platforms —particularly social media and Internet messaging
providers — to safeguard young users ."Once regulated, these platforms will be required to observe Malaysian laws and are expected to adhere to certain conduct requirements which include protecting young individuals by proposing a restriction on social media usage for those under 13."
Meanwhile, Fahmi says Malaysia is leveraging on artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance online safety through the development of an AI portal.
He says this platform will use AI to detect and address online threats, verify information, and combat fraud and defamation to contribute to a safer digital environment.
He says these efforts are part of Malaysia 's comprehensive strategy to tackle the digital age's challenges, demonstrating the country's commitment to ensuring a secure and safe online space that is inclusive for all.
At a press conference, Fahmi said the country could learn about the issues faced by other countriesthrough the IRC.
"From today's discussion, we have found many challenges faced by other countries. My hope for the IRC is that, first, we can implement the findings regularly.
"Second, as a result of these discussions and sharing, there might be steps or strategies that we can consider, and they can be implemented if they are suitable for the situation in Malaysia."
Fahmi says his ministry has proposed various events for Asean 2025 which involve agencies
such as MCMC, the National News Agency, and National Film Development Corporation Malaysia.
He says his ministry will also consider proposing a similar conference to the Asean secretariat in the event calendar when Malaysia chairs Asean next year. This, he says, is because at the Asean level, there are certain forums that gather regulatory bodies and ministers overseeing issues related to information and digital aspects.
The IRC, organised by MCMC under the theme 'Aligning Innovation with Safety for a Sustainable Future', attracted nearly 800 participants from Asean, Australia, Korea and the United Kingdom.
The two-day conference, which began on Monday, aimed to address critical topics in digital innovation and regulation, with inputs from regulators and subject matter experts crucial for shaping the future of the telecommunications sector and ensuring continued connectivity and innovation in the digital ecosystem.
