Government Forms Special Committee to Address Cyberbullying Issues, Says Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet meeting on Friday agreed to establish a special committee to address cyberbullying issues in the country, said Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

According to Bernama, Fahmi, who is also the Government Spokesperson, stated that the committee will involve the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Digital, and the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs and Institutional Reform).

He mentioned that the committee will also be supported by a special team including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Attorney General’s Chambers.

“We (the Cabinet) believe that stronger actions need to be taken against social media platforms regarding cyberbullying cases. The operators cannot simply wash their hands of the issue and must be equally responsible for addressing cyberbullying.

“So, we (the committee) will review the details of the act, comprehensively examine the legal aspects, make amendments (to the laws), and take any other actions deemed necessary to address cyberbullying,” he told Bernama.

Fahmi, who is also the Minister in charge of the Special Committee for the Ceremonial Events of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Coronation, spoke to the media after reviewing the rehearsal for the ceremony at the National Palace on Friday.

He said the establishment of the special committee and team is crucial as it will leverage all available expertise related to the issue, spanning ministries and agencies.

“Given the issue of cyberbullying, coupled with new social media platforms and even emerging technologies like AI (artificial intelligence), we need to harness all our expertise, including technical aspects, to address it,” he said.