His Government was undertaking a comprehensive review of children ‘ s safety risks in the context of online games and was working to establish a regulatory framework covering the risks of minors in digital space. The Deputy Minister of Communications of Malaysia, Zhang Guang Yi, elaborated on the Government’s intention to develop a “comprehensive and integrated regulatory programme” in response to the need to protect children from online play platforms and related digital content.
The review will cover the preparation of technical infrastructure, best practices in international regulation and the applicability of various regulatory models in reducing the risk of cyberplay to minors. At the same time, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is reviewing different age and identification methods for social media users, recognizing that child protection issues involve multiple digital platforms and service types. Although the content of online games is not currently classified under Malaysian law as a category of services to be licensed, law enforcement can deal with violations on the basis of available statutory resources. Zhang Liang explained that enforcement action could be initiated if the platform violated existing laws or when authorities and the public reported harmful content. Corresponding enforcement measures may include requests for deletion of content, case investigations and applications for blocking of related websites under the relevant laws. However, Zhang Liang stressed that “parental supervision cannot be replaced” in terms of protecting children from the effects of virtual incentives for violence, crime, gambling and potentially offensive behaviour. She noted that any digital device could not and should not be a substitute for active parental supervision and guidance and called on parents to take primary responsibility for following up on children ‘ s networks and setting reasonable limits on their use. That statement reflected the Government ‘ s consensus that, in the absence of coordinated protection at the family level, the full protection of minors could not be achieved through a regulatory mechanism alone.
The Cyber Security Act 2025 created a new legal chapter under which licensed applications and network service providers have a duty to take active measures to ensure that their platforms are protected from harmful content. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is in the process of finalizing a companion code and a subsidiary code, with special emphasis on the establishment of robust juvenile protection mechanisms and the implementation of clearer age-based content classification standards. In response to questions about surveillance of predatory behaviour, Zhang Liang acknowledges the ability of law enforcement authorities to investigate and prosecute paedophilia discovered through online play platforms. Such investigations may be carried out in accordance with the criminal legislation in force and may be accompanied, as appropriate, by a request for the deletion of content and an application for a website blockage. Malaysia ‘ s multi-pronged strategy reflected its awareness that ensuring child cybersecurity required synergy between regulatory bodies, platform operators and parental oversight, complemented by statutory enforcement mechanisms. By combining technical assessments, international benchmarking and various regulatory models, the Government aims to develop effective and proportionate protection measures to address the real risks faced by minors in an increasingly complex digital environment.
This ongoing review essentially shows that the Government has recognized that the challenges to child safety posed by online games and related digital services are evolving and require ongoing regulatory adjustments and stakeholder collaboration. The Malaysian authorities recognize that the current format requires a flexible regulatory framework that is both effective in addressing emerging threats and reasonable operational viability for platform operators.