THE government will ensure any form of action that may be imposed on Telegram will have a minimal impact on its users, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said.

He said the ministry was aware that the application is widely used, including in schools and by media practitioners for video and image transmission.

He said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is still reviewing what kind of action should be taken against Telegram, whose management has yet to cooperate with the government to discuss issues related to the content and misuse of the application.

“So if it is decided that cooperation from Telegram’s side is not very forthcoming, then we will ensure that any action to be taken will not affect users too much.

“We expect that the government will make a decision soon. We have yet to scrutinise recommendations from the MCMC, but Insya-Allah, it will not be too long from now,” he told reporters after officiating the Kota Kuala Muda Digital Economy Centre Community Day in Sungai Petani today.

Fahmi also said the ministry received many complaints regarding the misuse of the application, including the sale of pornographic materials and drugs, and investment scams on the platform that should be curbed, but there has been no action from Telegram so far.

“Other platforms cooperated by attending a meeting when invited, which is not a problem. But so far, Telegram has not cooperated with MCMC as a regulatory body,” he said.

Commenting on Telegram’s statement that it did not want to participate in any form of political censorship, Fahmi said it was up to MCMC to contact the platform’s management or issue a counter statement.

“As a member of the administration (government), I look at everything from the legal and policy perspectives. And as a sovereign country that has the power and the right to decide its policy, I believe the law in our country must be respected,” he said. – Bernama, June 3, 2023.