KUCHING (Sept 14): The Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) is mulling over the possibility of requiring major social media platforms TikTok, Google, and Meta to register for licences.
Minister Fahmi Fadzil said this is to ensure a sustainable and healthy media ecosystem in Malaysia.
He said the ministry recently discussed several issues with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), including whether registration and licensing should be required for the social media platforms.
“I have discussed with MCMC to look into the needs for us to register and provide licensing for these platforms. We see the need to consider implementing a mechanism for at least the three platforms to contribute back to the media industry in Malaysia.
“A lot of content provided by our media organisations has benefitted the platforms but the return they (media organisations) get is very much less. This is to help make sure that the (media) ecosystem in Malaysia is sustainable and healthy,” he told reporters here today after presenting Tabung Kasih@Hawana aid to Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) staff member Irwan Budi Annuar, 49.
Irwan, who served RTM for about 20 years, is suffering from kidney and lung complications as well as declining vision.
He has three children aged 19, 17, and 15.
Fahmi said Irwan is the 20th recipient of assistance from the National Journalists Day (Hawana) fund, which aims to help media personnel who have fallen on hard times.
“We want to see how else we can help. We visit them to understand their background and other problems faced by them, and seek sustainable solutions,” he said.
He hoped that Tabung Kasih@Hawana would be able to reach out to more media personnel in need, particularly stringers.
According to him, more media organisations are recruiting stringers rather than permanent staff.
“Should anything happen, the social safety net would not be as good as that for full-time employees. Within this week, we will meet with Perkeso (Social Security Organisation) to see if we can expand this social safety net.
“We will continue this Tabung Kasih@Hawana since our Prime Minister has announced RM1 million for the fund,” he said.
Fahmi is currently on a working visit to Sarawak for the Malaysia Day celebration, which will be held at Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya here on Saturday.
Tabung Kasih@Hawana, which was established in conjunction with Hawana 2023, aims to support media practitioners, former media personnel, and veteran journalists in need.
The KKD initiative has been implemented through the National News Agency of Malaysia (Bernama) since April 14.
Tabung Kasih@Hawana also reached out to former New Sarawak Tribune sports editor Juary Mesa, who suffered a stroke in 2021.
The assistance was presented by the Hawana 2023 Secretariat, who visited him at his residence in Asajaya.
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2023/09/14/fahmi-ministry-considering-licence-for-social-media-platforms-in-malaysia/