MCMC blocked 155 websites with child sexual abuse content this year

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has blocked 155 websites with child sexual abuse content this year, said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Jailani Johari.
Stating that the government has embarked on various initiatives to ensure a safe online environment for children, Jailani said MCMC had recently worked with eight telecommunications and internet service providers in the country to make available parental control software and applications at an affordable rate in their services.
"In 2015, the cabinet approved the Plan of Action on Child Online Protection that enables all stakeholders to develop a clear continuous advocacy, prevention, early intervention and protective programmes that comply with international standards relating to child online protection such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)," he said in his speech during the opening of the Child Online Protection in Asean seminar, at the IOI Marriot Hotel, here, today.
Other than the legal framework involving the enactment of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017, Jailani said efforts are also being carried out at the ground level in educating the public on the safe and responsible use of the internet.
"MCMC, for example, has embarked on an awareness campaign called 'Klik Dengan Bijak' or Click Wisely that focuses on self-regulation since 2012.
"From 2015 to 2016, the campaign has carried out 800 activities that reached an audience of 1.7 million nationwide and has established more than 80 collaborations with strategic partners," he said.
At the regional level, he said that all 10 Asean member countries pledged their commitment to put more focus and effort on child protection.
"After the recently concluded 17th Asean Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, last week, the 2018 ICT Cooperation between Asean, China, South Korea, Japan and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will focus more on the issue involving Child Online Protection.
"Malaysia has been working closely with the ITU on this matter for many years," he said.
Pointing out that those under the age of 18 made up 5.8% or 1.8 million internet users in the country, Jailani called on parents to play a more pro-active role in ensuring that their children are not exposed to unhealthy content on the internet.