KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Act 588) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1988 (Act 589) will help curb issues relating to race, religion and the royal institution.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that many matters in the Acts need to be updated in line with the vast developments in current technology.

"The amendments will also involve engagement sessions with MPs and the ministry will study it before it is tabled at Parliament in this session or at the latest, next year,” he said as a guest of a forum titled ‘Youth Empowerment Through Digital Platforms’ in conjunction with the Youth Empowerment Fair 2023 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.

During the forum, Fahmi also shared that the Malay Rulers expressed their views and advice on concerns about extremism during his recent audience with them following several incidents involving race, religion and the royal institution that could possibly affect public order and harmony in the country.

"Because nearly all (state) religious councils have been instructed not to have any politicking in mosques and suraus... and I have spoken with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and they have come out with the statement today that the issue of 3R is reminder to everybody, be safe, be polite, be decent, no violations,” he said.

The MCMC reminded the public again in a statement today to not upload or share any hateful content or opinions involving 3R elements on social media or messaging apps.

In other developments, Fahmi said his ministry has been in contact with several satellite internet service providers to assist rural communities to obtain cheaper internet access.

"For instance, those who need to pay RM10 for one gigabyte (GB) of internet data, this is quite a high price, so we need to do something about it to ensure internet access is not only available but not too expensive to be used,” he said.

Fahmi said currently, 97 per cent of residential areas in the country have access to the internet and the remaining areas without such facilities are in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as Orang Asli areas and inhabited islands. — Bernama