KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Social media and messaging platforms must incorporate in Malaysia to apply for the class licence that will be imposed on them next year, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

She said this local presence must be in place by the time the requirement starts on January 1 for platforms serving eight million or more Malaysians.

"All the (relevant) companies have been made aware of this gazettement (of licensing requirements), and they know that they are not exempted,”

"They now have about five months to prepare for and meet all the requirements," Teo was quoted as saying by The Star today.

On July 27, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that major social media platforms would be required to apply for the licence to keep operating in Malaysia, with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) releasing guidelines five days later.

Yesterday, he said the firms have provisionally agreed to the licensing but have not made any applications to do so.

The government previously said the move was to improve online safety and address cybercrime that was accelerating to worrisome levels, but this was not enough to allay suspicions of censorship and control.