The Malaysian government faces the challenge of balancing freedom of the press with the need to combat online crime. While vigilance against regulations that threaten press freedom is essential, the alarming prevalence of online crime necessitates robust legislation.
While remaining vigilant, the public and the media should not automatically assume a suspicious attitude towards initiatives which are key towards updating and upgrading our laws to prepare for a digital future. As the year comes to an end, it is a good time to reflect on the momentous and sometimes turbulent changes affecting the media landscape. Firstly, let me express my conviction that freedom of the press is an important pillar of a functioning democracy.
Our nation’s press has been suppressed in the past during times like Ops Lalang, Reformasi, Bersih and the 1MDB financial scandal. Therefore, it is commendable that press bodies and related NGOs are vigilant over any changes in regulations that may impinge upon this. However, over 90% of complaints made to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) concern scams, internet trafficking, sexual abuse material, grooming, illegal drug sales, access to weapons and the spread of terrorist ideology and hate speech. Early last week, we were informed of the shocking news that the police and MCMC launched a series of raids on individuals suspected of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The figures were astounding. Over 40,000 CSAM and adult pornographic content from various devices including computers, cell phones and hard disks were seized. After the raids in six states, some 13 individuals aged between 20 and 74 were arrested. This illustrates the importance of intelligence provided by MCMC, with some suspects even admitting to finding and buying explicit content via social media and messaging platforms, such as X and Telegram. The suspects operated online under false identities and were flagged for actively accessing and sharing CSAM content on messaging and social media platforms. Aside from these horrific revelations, there are many other avenues for illegal operations to thrive unless they are checked by legislation
Freedom Of Press Online Crime Child Sexual Abuse Material Legislation Digital Safety
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