Deputy comms minister Teo Nie Ching has expressed that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should have engaged the tech community more extensively before requiring all internet service providers (ISPs) to implement public domain name service (DNS) redirection. She highlighted the importance of listening to experts in the field and ensuring proper consultation to avoid rushing into decisions that may have wide-reaching implications to the nation’s digital landscape.
Speaking to reporters after launching the 36th Pos Shop at the Pudu Post Office today, Teo stressed that her ministry had not set a deadline for MCMC to complete its engagement sessions with the tech community. She underscored the significance of this process, suggesting that it should be done comprehensively, regardless of the time required. The deputy comms minister also invited experts to share their experiences and input on the matter to ensure a well-informed and thoughtful approach.
“We want MCMC to conduct proper, comprehensive engagement,” she said. “If they need one month, let’s do it. If they need three months, let’s do it.”
This move follows communications minister Fahmi Fadzil’s directive to MCMC to pause the implementation of DNS redirection on Sunday. The decision raised concerns about the potential consequences of such a policy without broad consultation. As such, sporadic reports and complaints from general consumers began to surface when the move was implemented towards the end of last week, with many saying that their queries and site searching while on public DNS servers from the likes of Google and Cloudflare returned a 404 error.
Teo acknowledged the good intentions behind MCMC’s actions, particularly in addressing rising concerns about online gambling, pornography and other online crimes. However, she insisted that policy implementation must be guided by proper dialogue and consultation to ensure its effectiveness and public acceptance. The deputy comms minister reiterated the importance of transparency and collaboration in addressing these challenges, urging the tech community and the public to remain engaged in the discussions.
(Source: Bernama)
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