The Malaysian government has appointed a nine-member committee to oversee online safety under the Online Safety Act 2025, which came into force yesterday. Retired chief judge of Malaya Hasnah Hashim will chair the body, with Lim Thean Shiang serving as deputy, the communications ministry said.
Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the committee will serve a three-year term ending on 31 December 2028. Members were chosen to represent a cross-section of expertise from the public sector, private industry and civil society, signalling a collaborative approach to regulating digital harms.
Online safety committee Malaysia to advise on harmful content
The committee’s remit goes beyond administrative oversight. It will advise the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on the classification of harmful and priority content, including child sexual abuse material and schemes that facilitate financial fraud. It will also determine methods for risk analysis and recommend mitigation strategies to protect users.
Azalina said the panel will assess the effectiveness of complaint and redress mechanisms and monitor enforcement actions against illegal content. The committee will undertake technical research and provide expert analysis on emerging cybercrime trends, with a specific focus on the misuse of artificial intelligence and the growing problem of deepfakes.
Other appointed members include Barhoum Abe Abed, representing licensed application service providers, and Kasyful Azim Ab Rahman, the representative for licensed network service providers. Ruzimi Mohamed will represent persons with disabilities, while the remaining members are Zurkarnain Yasin, Thiyagu Ganesan, Jahaberdeen Yunoos and Wathshlah Naidu.
Observers said the composition reflects an effort to balance technical, legal and societal perspectives. Industry representatives can advise on feasibility and implementation, while civil society and disability representation are intended to ensure policies consider vulnerable groups.
The Online Safety Act 2025 establishes clearer obligations for platform operators and service providers, and the committee will play a central role in interpreting and advising on those duties. The MCMC will continue to hold regulatory authority, with the committee providing specialist guidance on classification and prioritisation of harmful content.
Experts expect the committee to confront several immediate challenges. The commercialisation of generative AI has accelerated the spread of manipulated media, increasing the potential for identity theft, fraud and reputational harm. The panel will be asked to recommend technical measures and industry standards, and to advise on cross-border cooperation where unlawful content originates overseas.
Consumer advocates welcomed the move but urged transparency. They said the committee should publish regular reports on its decisions and the methodology used for risk analysis, and should engage the public when setting thresholds for content classification.
Azalina said the government intends the committee to be a proactive adviser, not merely an administrative body. Its guidance will inform enforcement priorities and the development of mechanisms for users to report harmful content and seek remedies.
As Malaysia implements the new law, attention will centre on how quickly the committee can translate technical advice into practical safeguards and whether its recommendations will deepen collaboration with regional and international regulators confronting similar online harms.
Key Takeaways:
- Government appoints a nine-member online safety committee Malaysia to enforce the Online Safety Act 2025.
- Retired chief judge Hasnah Hashim named chair with Lim Thean Shiang as deputy; members represent industry, civil society and persons with disabilities.
- The committee will advise the regulator on harmful content, risk analysis, complaint mechanisms and enforcement, with a focus on AI misuse and deepfakes.
