KUALA LUMPUR – The Communications Ministry is considering legal action against Facebook over what it sees as the platform’s failure to sufficiently address online scam activities.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the matter has been handed to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which will give the platform a final opportunity to cooperate with the government.
“MCMC has made 271,472 requests to all platforms to remove harmful content. Of these, 91 per cent involve online scams and gambling,” he said after attending the Inter-Agency Retreat on Combating Online Scams.
According to Fahmi, Facebook accounted for a large portion of such cases, with 81 per cent of gambling-related incidents and 58 per cent of scam-related cases linked to the platform.
In a separate development, Fahmi also said MCMC would continue intensifying digital literacy initiatives to improve public awareness of ethics and responsibilities when sharing content on social media.
He said the effort is important to ensure users understand the implications of posting content online, especially material involving ongoing investigations or content that could affect the dignity of victims and their families.
Fahmi, who is also the government spokesperson, stressed that not all content should be openly circulated, particularly recordings of tragic incidents or sensitive material that could disrupt investigations and cause distress.
“Sometimes in the sharing of horrific videos, there are elements that may offend the victim’s family, and we need to be sensitive to that.
“On the media side, media practitioners usually understand that there are certain limits when it comes to protecting the dignity of victims, for example. But among the public, perhaps there is still a lack of awareness on this matter,” he said.
Fahmi also urged social media users to exercise greater responsibility when uploading content and to cooperate with authorities, particularly when investigations are ongoing.
“If there is an ongoing investigation, we do not want it to be disrupted. If there is an element that may bring shame to the victim’s family, especially when the family has asked for their privacy to be respected, I hope the public can cooperate,” he said.
His remarks came a day after the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) reminded the public to be more responsible when sharing videos related to crimes or misconduct, warning that such actions could interfere with investigations and carry legal consequences.
Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK) director Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin had said some individuals were too eager to seek attention online without understanding the impact their actions could have on police investigations.
Meanwhike, Fahmi revealed that the Communications Ministry had also detected a rise in fake social media accounts being used to spread content touching on religion, race and royalty (3R), including impersonation involving rulers and members of royal families.
“After the content is produced and disseminated, the accounts are closed. So there are criminal elements involved, elements of throwing rocks and hiding their hands, and we will closely monitor the response from social media platforms.
“Some platforms, such as TikTok, have been issued notices by the MCMC, while others, such as Meta, have cooperated. However, we believe several of these platforms need to clearly state the measures they will take to reduce incidents involving 3R content,” he said.
Commenting on potential action, Fahmi said current provisions under communications laws remain adequate but stressed that platforms must strengthen measures to curb abuse involving fake accounts and the spread of sensitive content. – May 24, 2026