SEVERAL MINISTRIES LOOKING INTO TIGHTENING LAWS ON CYBERBULLYING - FAHMI

PUTRAJAYA, July 16 (Bernama) -- Several ministries are working together to tighten laws related to cyberbullying, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said that existing laws need to be strengthened not only in terms of the definition of cyberbullying but also regarding the punishments that can be imposed.

"Give me some time to understand what exactly is happening, but in principle, at the Cabinet level, three or four ministers have agreed, and we will sit down together to review the legal aspects that need to be improved," he said.

Fahmi told reporters this after speaking at the IPRM Ethical and Responsible Communication Conference here today, which was also attended by Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa.

He said that cyberbullying laws have been mentioned by several ministers, including Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, with Azalina indicating that several provisions of the Penal Code can be amended immediately.

"I believe this is what she is working on. We see a lot of criminal activities or illegal activities, online gambling advertisements, scams on social media platforms, and many more.

"It seems as if these issues are not taken seriously by the platforms, so we need specific laws to ensure that social media platforms are also responsible for what happens on their platforms," he said.

According to media reports, TikTok influencer A. Rajeswary, also known as Esha, was found dead in a condominium unit in Setapak here on July 5, a day after lodging a police report regarding the cyberbullying she was facing.

-- BERNAMA