KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia hopes to collaborate with other ASEAN member states to strive for better regulation of the communications and multimedia industry and work closely together as a regional bloc, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. In his opening remarks at the inaugural International Regulatory Conference (IRC 2024) here today, he noted that as the chair of ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia aims to invigorate ASEAN-led forums and achieve significant milestones. Fahmi said the regional regulatory framework on online safety is anticipated to facilitate coordination and collaboration among ASEAN member states in addressing common challenges related to online safety, as well as building regional consensus on ASEAN's commitment to safeguarding the digital environment. 'With that aspiration, let us channel our collective efforts towards fostering a more integrated and resilient ASEAN. 'By collaborating effectively and embracing innovative regulatory practices, we can ensure a brighter, more secure future for all our nations,' he said. Elaborating, Fahmi said as the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 concludes next year, it prompts the 10-member bloc to consider what the next decade holds for ASEAN, along with the strategies and goals that will define the future trajectory of the region. 'To address both current and future challenges and trends from within and outside the region, we propose to develop an inspiring, inclusive, and forward-looking post-2025 vision for the ASEAN Community, spanning the next 20 years,' he said. In Malaysia's context, Fahmi said the government has introduced the Cybersecurity Bill 2024, a legislative measure aimed to safeguard the country's digital borders and protect its citizens from emerging cyber threats. He added that the government is also in the final stage of finalising the regulatory framework for online services platforms, particularly social media and internet messaging providers. 'Once regulated, these platforms will be required to observe Malaysian laws and are expected to a dhere to certain conduct requirements. These include the requirement to protect young individuals by proposing a restriction on social media usage for those under 13,' he said. At the same time, Fahmi said the government is actively drafting laws to address online safety including online scams and fraud, sexual-related offences and hate speech, while leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance online safety through the development of an AI Portal. On IRC 2024, the minister said that the input from regulators and subject matter experts at the conference will be vital to ensure that the communication and multimedia sector continues to thrive and shape a future where the digital ecosystem remains a driving force for connectivity and innovation. At the press conference later, Fahmi said that through that conference, Malaysia could learn about the issues faced by other countries and the regulatory aspects implemented. 'My hope with the IRC is that, first, we can implement it regularly. Second, as a resu lt of these discussions, there may be some steps or strategies that we can consider and if they are suitable for the situation in Malaysia, they can be implemented,' he said. He said his ministry will also consider the suitability of proposing the IRC to the ASEAN Secretariat to be included in next year's event calendar when Malaysia takes over the chairmanship of the regional bloc. 'For the Ministry of Communications, we have indeed proposed a number of events involving our agencies including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), Bernama (Malaysian National News Agency), and others. 'At the ASEAN level, there are certain forums that gather regulatory bodies, ministers overseeing information and digital issues... so I request the ministry to study the outcomes of IRC 2024 and the suitability for us to include them in the ASEAN calendar,' Fahmi added. Also present at the event were Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ch ing and Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa and MCMC Chairman Tan Sri Mohamed Salim Fateh Din. The IRC 2024, organised by the MCMC, brings together communications and multimedia experts, including regulators and policymakers, from ASEAN, Korea, Australia, and the United Kingdom. A total of 800 participants attended the two-day conference with the theme 'Aligning Innovation with Safety for a Sustainable Future', which discussed a myriad of innovations, emerging technologies, regulatory frameworks and approaches within the ambit of the communications and multimedia industry. Source: BERNAMA News Agency