Malaysia’s push for more internet laws raises censorship concerns and crackdown on dissent

Malaysia’s push for more internet regulations has raised concerns about broader internet control and suppression of dissent

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Malaysia’s push for more internet regulations, including a “kill switch” to control harmful online content aimed at minors, has raised concerns about broader internet control and suppression of dissent. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00pm, 3 Aug 2024

It was only a matter of days before police came calling for opposition activist Chegubard, after he posted pictures of confidential documents on his Facebook page, exposing alleged corruption by a high-ranking official in Malaysia’s navy.

He was summoned last Sunday, arrested and remanded in custody for two days during investigations into a post made on July 22, alleged to have violated the Official Secrets Act and internet laws. This was the second incident this year for Chegubard, whose real name is Badrul Hisham Shaharin.

In May, he was charged under Malaysia’s Sedition Act with allegedly insulting the king in a social media post.

Now, the government says it needs more rules to curb the excesses of the internet.

It is mandating licensing of social media platforms and will soon press for a “kill switch” ostensibly to close down the spread of harmful online content aimed at minors. However, this has raised concerns about potential broader internet control and suppression of dissenting opinions, such as Chegubard’s.