The Malaysian Government has urged Meta to take stronger action against unlawful online content, mentioning the company's limited response to removal requests involving gambling, scams and other illicit activities.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil reported that authorities had submitted 168,774 removal requests for Facebook, representing 59% of all takedown requests across social media platforms.
Gambling-related content accounted for the largest share, with 120,127 flagged posts, though only 95% were removed.
Fahmi said Meta's partial and delayed compliance undermines national efforts to combat cybercrime and protect internet users.
He added that while the company has pledged to enhance cooperation, more tangible measures are needed to ensure harmful material is removed quickly and consistently.
The concerns were raised during a high-level meeting involving not only Meta representatives but also the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the police Criminal Investigation and Commercial Crime Investigation departments and several ministries.
Alongside gambling and scams, the Government also highlighted ongoing problems with Meta's platforms, especially when it comes to disinformation, the spread of race, religious and royalty content, which are central and sensitive issues in Malaysia, besides the online sale of drug-laced vapes.
Officials stressed that platforms must take greater responsibility in preventing the reappearance of harmful content, arguing that stronger enforcement mechanisms are critical to safeguarding digital users in Malaysia.
Between 2023 and 2025, e-commerce scams facilitated on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp led to financial losses exceeding RM248m (US$52.7m).
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