PUTRAJAYA, Jan 24 — The government will set up a special committee to assess the current laws on online crimes based on the feedback they have received from parties including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the committee will include the Digital Ministry, the Communications Ministry, and the Legal Affairs Department at the Prime Minister’s office to study the laws needed for Malaysia to have a comprehensive framework to protect children online.

"The Cabinet has discussed and agreed to form a technical committee to assess security issues and matters related to online criminal activity,

"This is based on the feedback received by MCMC regarding activities for example, the sale of drugs, or online gambling, or other activities like spreading videos,” he said while commenting on the arrest of a man spreading vulgar videos on Telegram in return for payment.

He said that the committee will also review laws from other countries that may be suitable for Malaysia to adopt.

He said the committee will work towards making social media and the internet a safer place for children.

Last year, the Department of Statistics revealed that children make up 27.4 per cent of Malaysia’s population.

In November last year, Law Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said that 94 per cent of children are Internet users and pledged to make the Internet a safer place for children.

In December, Azalina also announced that the government will be conducting a three-month study to come up with a policy decision to tackle online crime.

She said it would be implemented by the Legal Affairs Division and the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre.