In a press conference, Fahmi said the timeframe would be adhered to as previously set, with enforcement of the regulations to begin from Jan 1, 2025.

“There will be no postponements or shifting of the date,” he said.

Fahmi, who is also the government spokesman, said this in response to a question on whether the Cabinet meeting this morning had discussed the open letter to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim published by industry group Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), whose members include tech giants Google, Meta and X.

“Yes, it was discussed. The prime minister and ministers decided that we will continue with the implementation of the stricter regulatory framework,” he said.

Under the regulatory framework, social media platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users will be required to obtain licences and can face legal action if they fail to do so by Jan 1, 2025.

AIC’s letter had urged Anwar to pause the plan to require social media platforms to apply for licences, citing a lack of clarity over the regulations.

Fahmi was reported as saying yesterday that major tech companies must comply with local laws to continue operating in Malaysia.

“Big tech companies are big, but our laws are bigger. If they want to operate in Malaysia, they must respect and comply with our laws,” he said, adding that earlier engagements with representatives of social media firms on the plan had been positive.