The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in collaboration with the Selangor government, is considering expanding its filtered internet service to public premises and private higher learning institutions (IPTS), following a pilot project at mosques in the state.
Selangor Islamic Affairs and Innovation Culture Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the initiative was aimed at curbing the spread of negative content and preventing internet access from being misused during activities such as prayers and learning sessions.
“If we install a filtering system at mosques to prevent children from playing online games during prayer times, the same approach will be extended to IPTS and related public residences,” he told reporters after officiating the Petaling Jaya District Safe Internet Campaign Community Carnival 2026 at Kampung Lindungan here today.
The proposed expansion comes amid rising online fraud, with 35,073 cases recorded as of June involving losses of RM951.7 million. Investment scams accounted for RM413.8 million of the total losses, he said.
Mohammad Fahmi urged the public to practise careful verification, or tabayyun, by adopting the principles of “Check Before Clicking, Think Before Sharing” when dealing with online content.
He also proposed that authorities use artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically screen keywords and detect fake accounts to help combat cyberbullying and extreme content without relying solely on public complaints.
