The Malaysian Government has pressed Meta to take stronger action against unlawful content on its platforms, especially Facebook, after repeated failures to curb online crime.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil revealed that, as of September 19, authorities submitted 168,774 takedown requests to Meta for Facebook, representing 59% of all social media removal requests.
Of these, 120,127 cases involved online gambling, yet Meta removed only 114,665 posts. Scam networks generated 37,722 reports, but the platform took down 36,918 pieces of content.
Fahmi criticised Meta for its slow and incomplete response, saying the company’s inaction undermines efforts to fight cybercrime and protect Malaysian internet users. “Meta has promised improvements, but Malaysians need concrete actions—not vague commitments,” he stressed.
Police data highlights the stakes: from 2023 to August 2025, scams on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp caused over RM248 million in losses, spanning 18,128 cases.
The concerns surfaced in a high-level meeting that gathered Meta executives, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), police criminal units, and several ministries.
Officials also raised alarms over 3R content—race, religion and royalty—as well as the illegal sale of drug-laced vapes. The Government called on Meta to assume greater responsibility, remove harmful content swiftly, and ensure it does not resurface.
