Azalina: Online Safety Act coming into force soon, targets digital harm to children
BANGI, June 16 — Malaysia is set to enforce the Online Safety Act 2024 soon following its full passage through Parliament and Royal Assent.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, said the Act has already been gazetted and is now awaiting the official enforcement date to be signed by Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
She said the law will give authorities greater powers to regulate digital platforms and bolster safeguards, particularly to protect children from online harm.
Azalina said the law will come into force as soon as Fahmi signs the enforcement order, enabling the government to act swiftly in removing unlawful content. Under the Act, platform providers will also be required to uphold a defined duty of care.
'After that, there will be a joint council (Online Safety Committee) to define online harms,' she said at a press conference after the monthly assembly of the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) and launch of the National Legal Academy (APN), here today.
Azalina said that while the Online Safety Act centres on platform regulation and digital responsibility, any matter involving children must also be viewed through the lens of the Child Act 2001.
On a separate note, she stressed the urgent need for stronger legal frameworks to ensure corporate accountability, particularly in cases involving public safety and transport negligence.
Citing the recent bus crash that claimed the lives of 15 UPSI students, Azalina called for policy-level discussions on corporate liability, including the potential introduction of corporate manslaughter laws.
'How can a company run a business and not be held responsible? Take the example of what happened with Air India. If something goes wrong mechanically, it should not be enough to just pay out insurance. Someone must be held accountable,' she stressed. — Bernama
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