Malaysia's DNS Directive Sparks Concern Over Online Censorship and Digital Economy

Malaysia's communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has halted a directive to reroute web traffic through local DNS servers following public feedback. The directive, intended to protect against harmful online content, raised concerns over censorship and potential damage to the digital economy. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission defended the directive, emphasizing its safety measures.

Malaysia's communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that he has instructed the communications regulator to stop rerouting web traffic through local domain name system (DNS) servers. This decision was shared on social media platform X on Sunday.

Fadzil took into account feedback from engagement sessions held by the communications commission and comments from the general public. The directive, initially set to take effect on September 30, had sparked widespread concerns regarding increasing online censorship and potential adverse effects on Malaysia's digital economy.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) defended the measure, stating that it was aimed at safeguarding vulnerable groups from harmful online content. Despite criticism, the MCMC emphasized that DNS redirection was designed to block harmful websites without causing noticeable disruption to legitimate sites. Users could file complaints if they faced issues, and blocked websites had the option to appeal.

(With inputs from agencies.)