Deputy communications and multimedia minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin said the government was always monitoring such platforms and would take severe action against individuals found promoting such elements.

However, the government would not be able to control the contents broadcast on platforms like online streaming and over-the-top (OTT) platforms based abroad such as Netflix.

“Provisions in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) do not include censorship of such content.

“In addition, OTT services like Netflix are not like public broadcast services or private institutions that fall under existing laws on licensing and censorship in the country,” he told the Dewan Negara during the question-and-answer session.

Zahidi said this in reply to a question from senator Ahmad Yahaya, who wanted to know the ministry’s position on a proposal to control the contents and programmes broadcast or released on platforms like Netflix, to curb inappropriate culture among the community.

He said accepting or rejecting the broadcast and streaming of contents on such platforms was the choice of users through subscription, but subscribers were urged to exercise self-control.

Zahidi said parents and guardians could control the exposure of their children or loved ones to such contents by applying special passwords or pin numbers to restrict access.