KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Planned changes to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 are to cater to technological changes and not to restrict freedom of speech, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Salleh Said Keruak said today.

The communications and multimedia minister added that the proposal was a response to calls by the media industry in need of guidance to navigate the evolution caused by the Internet and social media.

“Many people are misunderstanding this issue, seeing it as though we are looking to restrict people’s freedoms. It is not like that,” he told reporters here after attending a ministerial roundtable organised by the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute.

“There are many other things involved, because the people of the industry are looking for assurance of certain confidentiality, and network security, among others.” he added.

Salleh in October announced that the proposed amendments to the Act had been submitted to the Attorney-General (AG), which he confirmed today have not been returned for further action by his ministry yet.

Contents of the proposed amendments have not been made public, though Putrajaya had previously announced plans to revamp the Communications Act to afford the authorities more control over social media and online news portals.

The new amendments have also been rumoured to include harsher sentences and restrictions on social media users in posting comments or opinions online.

Salleh also chairs the Special Committee to Combat Abuse of Social Media which was set up in January, comprising the Royal Malaysia Police, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.