KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — The government is working closely with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to combat the use of online tools such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and third-party identities to bypass social media age-limit enforcement.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will use public information in investigations and address misuse of such technologies, including treating it as an alternative element of an offence.

“However, if it is used to facilitate criminal activities such as deceiving children, online scams, the dissemination of pornography, or other offences, action will be taken under the law, including the Penal Code, the Computer Crimes Act 1997, and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588),” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Riduan Rubin (Independent-Tenom) regarding the government’s technical intervention strategies to ensure the effective implementation of the social media user age limit.

Shamsul Anuar said the main enforcement challenges include rapid technological advancements, data storage limits by telecommunication companies, and platforms and servers located abroad.

“For foreign platform providers, enforcement regarding compliance with user screening requirements and child protection falls under the jurisdiction of the MCMC, based on the legal framework in force,” he said.

He added that failure to comply with authorities’ directives could result in compliance orders, restrictions on access to services or content, and legal prosecution.

“This approach is vital to ensure the country’s cyber laws remain secure without compromising the lawful and responsible use of technology,” he said.

Shamsul Anuar also said that the government is collaborating with the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and Asean Chiefs of Police (Aseanapol) to address cross-border cybercrime issues.

He disclosed that 69 cases were recorded under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 in 2024, rising to 146 in 2025, underscoring the need to implement the age-limit policy.

According to him, the measure aligns with the implementation of the Child Protection Code (CPC) and the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) under the Online Safety Act 2025 (Act 866), which came into force on June 1. — Bernama