Malaysia Plans New Media Legislation to Address Fake News and AI Challenges

Malaysia Tackles Digital Misinformation Crisis with New Legislation

Malaysia’s Communications Ministry is developing comprehensive legal frameworks to combat the growing threat of misinformation in the country’s digital landscape, as officials report over 15,000 complaints related to harmful content, fake news, and cybercrime received last year alone.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil identified misinformation and disinformation as the most significant challenges facing Malaysia’s information ecosystem, warning that these phenomena not only contaminate public discourse but pose genuine threats to social cohesion and national security.

“The Ipsos Digital 2025 report shows that Malaysians spend an average of eight hours a day online, making us among the most active internet users in the region,” Fahmi noted in a speech delivered at the 19th Biennial International Conference on Media and Communications at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. “However, with this digital freedom comes great responsibility.”

The ministry’s ambitious response includes drafting an Anti-Fake News Act, establishing ethical guidelines for social media influencers, and creating a regulatory framework specifically addressing artificial intelligence in the media sector. These initiatives come as Southeast Asian nations increasingly grapple with the double-edged sword of rapid digitalization.

Malaysia’s proposed Anti-Fake News Act represents a renewed attempt to regulate online falsehoods after a previous version was repealed in 2019. That legislation, passed under former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration, had faced criticism from press freedom advocates who worried it could be misused to silence legitimate criticism.

The ministry has also embraced the Social and Behaviour Change Communication approach for national campaigns, a methodology that goes beyond simple information dissemination to foster meaningful behavioral changes. Fahmi highlighted how this strategy proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in driving vaccination rates higher.

“Awareness campaigns on solid waste management and the reduction of single-use plastics have shown significant behavioral changes,” Fahmi stated. “Inclusive and culturally sensitive media narratives have helped strengthen the fabric of our plural society.”

The minister outlined five critical focus areas aligned with the Malaysia MADANI agenda: enhancing media and digital literacy among younger generations, improving intercultural communication in Malaysia’s multicultural context, strengthening health communication, recognizing youth’s role in advocacy, and fostering collaboration between government, academia, media industry, and civil society.

These developments occur against a backdrop of heightened concern about digital risks to Malaysian youth. The government recently announced plans to raise the minimum age for social media use to 16 years, reflecting growing regional apprehension about online harms to younger users.

Digital literacy has become increasingly vital in Malaysia, where internet penetration exceeds 90% of the population. The country’s diverse ethnic and religious makeup makes it particularly vulnerable to misinformation that exploits social divisions, with several incidents of communal tension in recent years traced back to false information circulating online.

Fahmi’s speech, delivered by Communications Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, came during MENTION2025, a conference that attracted more than 80 participants and presenters from Malaysia and abroad. The event highlighted Social and Behaviour Change Communication as a catalyst for positive societal transformation.

As Malaysia navigates these digital challenges, the government’s multi-pronged approach reflects a growing recognition across Southeast Asia that sustainable digital growth requires strong regulatory frameworks, robust media literacy, and collaborative efforts spanning all sectors of society.