KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians are spending an average of eight hours a day on the internet, placing them among the most active online users in Southeast Asia, according to the Ipsos Digital 2025 report.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that while the high level of digital engagement reflected Malaysia’s growing connectivity, it had also led to a surge in online issues.
The ministry, he said, received over 15,000 complaints last year related to harmful content, misinformation and cybercrime.
“To address these concerns, we are drawing up several new policy and legal frameworks, including a stronger and more balanced Anti-Fake News Act,” he said.
He added that a separate AI governance framework was being developed to guide the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the media industry and prevent its misuse for spreading misinformation.
Fahmi‘s remarks were delivered on his behalf by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa at the opening of the International Media and Communication Conference 2025 (MENTION2025) organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) at the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).
Among those peresent were UKM Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Professor Dr Kadaruddin Aiyub; Malaysian Broadcasting Department director-general Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman; and MENTION2025 conference director, Dr Arina Anis Azlan.
Fahmi said this year’s three-day conference centred on five key themes, including the importance of integrating media and digital literacy into education and encouraging inclusive communication practices in Malaysia’s multicultural setting.
He also highlighted the growing importance of health communication, particularly in tackling mental health challenges faced by Malaysians, especially the youth.
“Young people play an essential role in advocacy and social change, and their voices must continue to be heard,” he said, calling for stronger collaboration among the government, academia, media and civil society in crafting effective, inclusive communication policies.
Now in its 19th edition, MENTION2025 has drawn more than 80 participants and speakers, including academics, policymakers, media professionals and community leaders from Malaysia and abroad.
Held under the theme “Media and Communication for Change: Driving Transformation and Societal Wellbeing,” the conference explores Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) as a driver of positive social transformation and collective progress.
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