Network Policy

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is the regulator for the converging communications and multimedia industry. At the time it was created its key role was the regulation of the communications and multimedia industry based on the powers provided for in the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act (1998) and the Communications and Multimedia Act (1998). Pursuant to these Acts the role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is to implement and promote the Government's national policy objectives for the communications and multimedia sector. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission are also charged with overseeing the new regulatory framework for the converging industries of telecommunications, broadcasting and on-line activities.

Economic regulation, which includes the promotion of competition and prohibition of anti-competitive conduct, as well as the development and enforcement of access codes and standards. It also includes licensing, enforcement of license conditions for network and application providers and ensuring compliance to rules and performance/service quality.

Technical regulation includes efficient frequency spectrum assignment, the development and enforcement of technical codes and standards, and the administration of numbering and electronic addressing.

Consumer protection, which emphasizes the empowerment of consumers while at the same time, ensures adequate protection measures in areas such as dispute resolution, affordability of services and service availability.

Social regulation which includes the twin areas of content development as well as content regulation; the latter includes the prohibition of offensive content as well as public education on content-related issues.

On 1 November 2001, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission also took over regulation of the Postal Industry and were appointed the Certifying Agency pursuant to the Digital Signature Act (1997)¹.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission have also published a framework to achieve higher standards in regulating efficiently. The frame works deliverables are illustrated in the following table from the Framework for Industry Development (FID) 2002-2006 plan².