FAMILIES must play a stronger role in protecting children from increasingly complex online threats as Malaysia intensifies efforts to build a safer and more responsible digital environment, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has said.
He said effective digital protection must begin at home, with parents, teachers and Parent-Teacher Associations (PIBG) working together to guide children in using the Internet safely, ethically and responsibly.
Fahmi said this when officiating the 2026 Safe Internet PIBG Convention for the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, organised by Yayasan GoStrong Malaysia in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
The convention brought together nearly 500 participants, including parents, teachers, PIBG leaders, school administrators, government agencies, strategic partners and community representatives.
Held under the theme "Safe Internet, Everyone's Responsibility", the event aims to strengthen cooperation among families, schools, government agencies and communities in improving digital literacy and protecting children from online risks.
MCMC said children were increasingly exposed to threats including cyberbullying, online scams, digital exploitation and harmful content, making greater parental and community involvement essential.
The commission said strengthening the family as the first line of digital protection could help produce a more digitally literate and resilient generation while reducing the risks of cybercrime and improving children's safety online.
The convention, now in its third series, continues an initiative previously held in Pahang and Perak to empower parents and PIBG as frontline partners in protecting children from digital threats.
The programme will next be held in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak as part of a wider nationwide effort to equip more than one million Malaysians with knowledge and understanding of online safety throughout 2026.
The initiative will cover issues including online scams, cyberbullying, age limits for social media use, as well as the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
MCMC said it would continue expanding digital literacy and advocacy programmes while strengthening strategic cooperation with schools, communities and other stakeholders.
The commission will also continue its regulatory and enforcement functions to promote a safer, more trusted and inclusive online environment, particularly for children and vulnerable groups.
MCMC said stronger collaboration between families, educators, government agencies and communities was essential to ensuring that digital safety remained a shared responsibility rather than one left solely to regulators or technology platforms.
Also present were MCMC Central Regional Office Senior Director Mohamad Rizal Ahmad and Yayasan GoStrong Malaysia director Mohd Faizal Othman. - August 8, 2026
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