THE Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is set to hold talks with representatives of X, the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk, following repeated incidents in which users employed the platform to disseminate obscene, sexually explicit, and non-consensual content.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government had considered taking legal action against X for failing to safeguard users in Malaysia.
“MCMC will meet with representatives of X next week. The platform has already made contact with the government, and we are now awaiting their feedback,” Fahmi told reporters today in Putrajaya.
On January 11, MCMC placed Grok, a service hosted on X, under temporary restriction due to its use in producing indecent images, including content involving women and minors.
ATM Issues Tabled
In a separate development, the Cabinet received a briefing on ongoing matters in the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).
Fahmi noted that Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin had updated the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on several issues, which were well received.
“Several follow-up actions are expected based on what was presented during the meeting,” he added at the weekly post-Cabinet press conference held on Wednesday.
Cabinet Approves Amendments to Unlawful Sections of the PAA
On the legislative front, the Cabinet also approved in principle an amendment to Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA), which had been previously ruled unconstitutional by the Federal Court.
Fahmi explained that the decision could prompt the Attorney General’s Chambers to abandon its plan to review the landmark ruling.
“Today the Cabinet agreed to convey their decision to the AGC that because the PAA will be amended, it may no longer be appropriate for it to continue with filing a judicial review,” Fahmi said, adding that the Attorney General is expected to follow up.
The challenge to Section 9(5) was initiated by activist and former Muda secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi, who faced charges in 2022 for allegedly failing to notify authorities before holding a protest over the littoral combat ship issue.
The five-member Federal Court bench led by former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat concluded that Section 9(5) imposed punishments exceeding the limits set by Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, assembly, and association.
Amir criticised the AGC’s attempt to seek a review under the Federal Court Rules as undermining Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s pledge to pursue meaningful reform.
The proposed amendment aims to reconcile constitutional guarantees with the government’s responsibility to regulate public assemblies.
By addressing digital safety concerns on X and revising the PAA, Malaysia is signalling a dual approach to modern governance: safeguarding citizens online while upholding civil liberties in public spaces. - January 14, 2026
