AsianFin – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced on January 1 that the country’s new operating license framework for social media platforms has officially come into effect. According to MCMC, WeChat and TikTok successfully obtained their licenses before the December 31 deadline, while Telegram’s application is in its final stages. Meta has also initiated the licensing process and is "expected to complete it soon."
MCMC noted that X (formerly Twitter) has claimed its user base in Malaysia does not meet the threshold of 8 million required for licensing. "We are actively reviewing the validity of X's reported user numbers and will continue to engage with them to assess their status," the agency stated. In early 2024, X reported having 5.71 million users in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Google raised questions regarding the classification of its video-sharing features under the licensing framework. In response, MCMC confirmed it has reviewed Google’s concerns, emphasizing that "YouTube and all relevant platform providers that meet licensing criteria are obliged to comply with the requirements of the licensing framework."
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