Malaysia – Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission recently announced that tech companies WeChat and ByteDance (TikTok) have been granted licenses to operate in Malaysia.
Said approval, according to the institution, comes after four major internet messaging and social media providers initiated the process of ensuring regulatory compliance by applying for operational licenses.
In a statement, MCMC also revealed that Tencent’s WeChat has been issued with an applications service provider class (ASP(C)) license, becoming the first platform to comply with licensing requirements for internet messaging and social media service providers.
Telegram, on the other hand, is nearing the completion of the licensing process and is expected to receive its license shortly.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has also commenced the process of acquiring licenses to operate its platforms in the country, with completion likely to be finalised soon.
Moreover, the institution shared that both X (formerly known as Twitter) and Google, the operator of YouTube, have not yet submitted their licensing applications. X then clarified that its user base in Malaysia has not reached the necessary requirements. MCMC is now in the process of reviewing the user base figures submitted by X and will maintain engagement sessions to determine X’s standing.
Interestingly for Google, the institution said that questions have already been raised about the classification of YouTube’s video-sharing features under the current licensing framework. According to MCMC, they have considered these issues and will ensure that YouTube and other relevant platforms adhere to the obligations set by the enforced licensing rules.
The institution plans to review the compliance status of platform providers that have yet to obtain the required licenses, taking appropriate steps under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Non-compliant providers could be subjected to investigations and regulatory enforcement.
