KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (CMCF) is in the process of developing Ethical Guidelines for Reporting and Sharing Suicide-Related Content.
According to a written reply by the Ministry of Communications on the Parliament website, this effort is being undertaken in collaboration with industry players, mental health advocates, medical practitioners, and the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH).
The guidelines aim to promote responsible content practices that balance the public’s right to information with the need to avoid harm.
CMCF is also working closely with service providers such as Meta in conducting the Creators IRL programme, which aims to equip content creators with knowledge, tools, and experience to tackle online threats and produce safe and beneficial content.
The responsible sharing of suicide-related content and the importance of mental health in navigating the online world are part of the CMCF module for this programme.
This was in response to a question by Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) regarding the ministry’s plans to collaborate with three major social media companies — Meta, Snap, and TikTok — along with The Mental Health Coalition to form an initiative called Thrive, aimed at curbing suicide-related and mental health content.
The Ministry of Communications also stated that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is ready to provide full cooperation and support for efforts like Thrive in addressing suicide and mental health-related content.
Meanwhile, the ministry said that the draft Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill has been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for final review before the Cabinet Memorandum on the Bill is prepared.
“This Bill is expected to be tabled in this Parliamentary session, subject to Cabinet approval,” the ministry said in response to a question by Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) regarding the current status of the Malaysian Media Council’s establishment.
The formation of a self-regulatory body for media and its practitioners is deemed crucial at this time to uphold journalistic standards, elevate professionalism, and provide a platform for public complaints against the media.
— BERNAMA