Malaysia's communications regulator required internet messaging and social media providers meeting its licensing threshold to apply for and obtain the Application Service Provider (ASP(C)) class license under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) from 1 January 20251. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching set out the requirement in a reply at the Dewan Rakyat on 7 August 20251.
Teo said the licensing step ensures each service provider carries a statutory responsibility to manage its operations better in Malaysia, including dealing effectively with harmful content, especially for children1. She said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) also published a Code of Conduct (Best Practice) for internet messaging service providers and social media service providers, setting out their responsibilities to protect children and teenagers from harmful content1.
"Langkah ini memastikan setiap penyedia perkhidmatan memikul tanggungjawab statutori dalam menguruskan operasi mereka dengan lebih baik di Malaysia termasuk menangani secara efektif kandungan mudarat, terutamanya kanak-kanak."
The same reply gave figures for content taken down by service providers between 1 January 2022 and 1 August 2025, on MCMC's request, for breaching Act 588, other laws and platform community guidelines1. The total exceeded 500,000 items1.
| Category | Items removed, 1 Jan 2022 to 1 Aug 2025 |
|---|---|
| Gambling-related | 321,012 |
| Fraud | 119,273 |
| Offensive content | 43,585 |
| Bullying or sexual harassment | 35,420 |
| False content | 38,818 |
| Total | More than 500,000 |
Teo said MCMC works with other enforcement agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), and provides technical help such as information and digital forensic analysis for investigations1. She said many fraud-related posts are only taken down after MCMC files a report and sends a formal request to the platform, and that the absence of strict guidelines for advertisers has meant no reduction in fraudulent content, which is rising each year1.
What it means for players
The licensing requirement applies to internet messaging and social media providers that meet the threshold, not to individual users1. For people in Malaysia who use those platforms, the stated aim is faster handling of harmful content, including gambling-related material, which was the largest single category in the takedown figures1. The figures cover removals made at MCMC's request, so they do not show how much gambling-related content remains online or how quickly new material is removed. The reply does not state which providers have obtained the ASP(C) license, what the licensing threshold is, or any penalty for providers that do not apply; those points have not been reported1. How the licensing and code of conduct affect access to gambling-related content or accounts on messaging and social media platforms is not set out in the reply1. For background on which bodies license gambling in the region, see Gambling Regulators and Licenses in Asia: Who Licenses What and How to Check, and for the Malaysian market specifically, Can I Gamble in Malaysia?.
What happens next
The reply records two earlier MCMC measures: the Safe Internet Campaign (KIS), launched on 21 January, focused on online safety including social media age limits, cyberbullying and preventing access to unsuitable content, and the Sebenarnya.my Chatbot, or Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), launched on 28 January, to help the public verify information1. No further steps on the ASP(C) licensing requirement were given in the reply1.
