Malaysia: Ministry of Communications issued report on social media platforms' compliance with government requests to remove online content

On 2 March 2026, Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications reported that social media platforms complied with around 90% of 115,161 government requests to remove online content during January and February 2026. It was highlighted that 103,986 requests were submitted under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, while additional cases were assessed under the Online Safety Act 2025, covering offences including financial fraud, obscene harassment, indecent content, threatening or insulting harassment, and hate speech affecting public order. It was also noted that from 1 January 2025, internet messaging and social media service providers with at least eight million users in Malaysia are deemed registered as holders of an application service provider class licence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. It was also stated that, as a licensing condition, foreign social media platforms must appoint a local representative in Malaysia to receive court documents or legal notices from authorities. It was also determined that five companies, including Meta, X, WhatsApp, Google, Telegram Messenger, and TikTok, have already complied with this requirement, enabling the government to pursue action through their appointed representatives.