Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, who chaired the committee’s first meeting today, said it will help identify harmful online trends and undertake technical studies and expert analyses.

It will also facilitate consultations with industry leaders, academia, tech experts and civil society groups, and make policy recommendations to regulators and policymakers.

Azalina said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission would remain the sole regulator responsible for enforcing Act 866, under which it is empowered to conduct investigations and take enforcement actions against platforms that fail to protect users.

“The committee only provides strategic analyses, technical data and expert views to support regulatory decisions.

“The check-and-balance mechanism has been strengthened to ensure regulatory decisions are more transparent, evidence-based and do not undermine freedom of expression,” she said in a statement.

Hasnah took on the role of acting chief justice on July 3 following the retirement of Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on June 30. She eventually retired as chief judge on Nov 14.

Azalina said today’s meeting focused on threats associated with artificial intelligence, such as deepfakes, as well as the committee’s terms of reference and engagements with ministries, agencies and civil society groups.