KUALA LUMPUR – Greater public consultation and multi-stakeholder cooperation are crucial in shaping effective online safety laws for children, says Malaysian Bar Council’s AI, Cyber Law and Data Protection Committee chairperson Sarah Yong.
Speaking during a media engagement session organised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Sarah said online harms affecting minors have become too complex to be addressed by regulators or lawmakers alone.
“I think collaboration is actually very essential.
“No single actor, no single party can fully address all these multifaceted risks that children face online,” she told reporters after the session.
Sarah said every stakeholder in the digital ecosystem has a distinct responsibility in ensuring safer online spaces for children and young users.
“We all have a role to play.
“Lawmakers and regulators provide the legal framework and enforcement. Platforms need to operationalise these safety features.
“Educators and parents need to implement practices that shape children’s behaviour and awareness. Civil society offers advocacy, support services and independent scrutiny,” she said.
She added that online safety discussions should not be limited to government agencies and technology companies alone, stressing that broader engagement involving parents, schools, NGOs, lawyers, activists and media practitioners is equally important.
“I realise that I think this topic is the most engaging topic. Everybody wants to be a part of this because I think it affects everyone.
“Some policies, some stakeholders, we think it doesn’t involve everyone. But when it comes to online safety, everybody has an opinion as well and has something to contribute to the discussion,” she said.
Sarah also praised MCMC for improving engagement efforts and increasing consultation sessions involving online safety and digital policy matters.
“I must give credit where credit is due. There has been quite a lot of engagement and consultation and it has been improving as time passes,” she said.
“I think it has been beneficial to have these public consultations.
“I think everybody is in the learning process as well.
“But I must say that MCMC has increasingly engaged in public consultation and that is really commendable,” she added.
Sarah expressed hope that public consultation would continue to be prioritised as Malaysia develops future online safety regulations and digital governance policies.
“I really hope MCMC continues to have these public consultations on various different policy matters,” she said.
She stressed that stakeholder engagement on online safety should happen regularly rather than as isolated events due to the rapidly evolving nature of technology and online harms.
“I think it should happen as frequently as possible because there is so much to talk about.
“I think there are so many angles to a topic, there are so many topics as well. Not all can be said in just one day,” she said.
Sarah noted that the Malaysian Bar itself has actively participated in various initiatives involving cyberbullying, child online safety, online exploitation and digital rights awareness.
“We have organised various panel sessions, webinars, where it is also open to question and answer.
“I think all these physical events also provide an avenue for people to interact with each other,” she said.
She added that the Bar regularly works alongside child rights groups, educators, parents, NGOs and digital platforms to better understand the realities and challenges surrounding online harms affecting minors.
“The Bar is always very happy to participate, to provide the legal perspective and also to know what is happening on the ground and to also be able to appreciate and understand the different perspectives that are coming from the different parties, so that it can inform our own position as well,” she said.
Sarah stressed that while laws and regulations remain important, meaningful online safety also depends on digital literacy, parental awareness and responsible platform design.
“Protecting children online is ultimately a shared responsibility, requiring rights-respecting, evidence-based and proportionate action from all sectors,” she said. – June 5, 2026