Malaysia to amend video licence law, clarifying that social media users exempt
- On Thursday, communications minister Saifuddin Abdullah said all video production must be licensed, causing confusion for TikTok users
- But his latest comments do not state whether media agencies need licences, amid a row with Al-Jazeera over a documentary on migrant workers
After widespread derision, his ministry released a second statement less than 12 hours later, stating that the government had no intention of suppressing social media freedoms, and that national film laws required amending.
“The government reaffirms its stand to uphold the principles of media freedom,” he said in a statement on Friday. “Social media users are free to produce and upload videos to existing platforms without the need for a National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) licence application.”
A day earlier, Saifuddin told Parliament that all film producers were required a licence and certification letter from FINAS, “regardless of whether they are mainstream media or personal media that publish their film on social media or traditional channels”.