Malaysia scraps loathed internet re-routing plan after public backlash

Insiders warn fallout from scrapped DNS policy could undermine government efforts to attract tech investments from major players like Nvidia

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Students use computers to prepare for exams in Kuala Lumpur. Authorities claimed the DNS policy was necessary to combat online gambling, pornography, copyright violations and financial scams. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:26pm, 9 Sep 2024Updated: 1:29pm, 9 Sep 2024

In a dramatic reversal, Malaysia has abandoned its controversial plan to re-route internet traffic, following significant backlash from the public and the tech community. Critics argued the move not only threatened free speech but also jeopardised the government’s own digital ambitions.

The embarrassing U-turn came at the end of a weekend of conflicting statements that began the Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reinforcing an impending ban on alternative DNS servers – essentially the internet’s “phone book” – aimed at redirecting traffic through ones controlled by the government.

This policy would have effectively blocked access to websites deemed improper by the government for anyone in the country not using a VPN.

But just one day later, amid a torrent of public dissent, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil abruptly announced the policy was off the table. “Taking into account the views expressed through MCMC’s engagement sessions as well as from the general public, I have requested [the commission] not to proceed with the implementation,” he wrote on the X social media platform late on Sunday.

The fallout extended beyond DNS re-routing. The government had also proposed that social media platforms obtain licences, heightening fears among civil society that such measures could be used to silence critics and dissenting voices online.

The fallout could undermine Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s fforts to attract tech investments, insiders warn. Photo: Kremlin/Sputnik/EPA-EFE

Originally, the DNS policy was set to take effect by the end of September, with authorities claiming it was necessary to combat online gambling, pornography, copyright violations and financial scams.