Business Tech

MCMC: WhatsApp admin and members are accountable

Posted on April 29, 2017 // Leave a Comment

PETALING JAYA: Administrators of WhatsApp groups may face legal action for failing to stop the spread of false information but investigations are based on complaints, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

It said that while conversations in messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber and Telegram, are private, an investigation can be conducted to look into any offending comment if a complaint is made.

“Investigations will only be conducted if there are complaints made regarding the content shared within these groups.

“Therefore, members of the public, whether they are group administrators or members, should be careful when spreading information so that it does not become a case of spreading false information,” the commission said in a statement on its Facebook page on Friday.

The MCMC said that the spreading of false information is an offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA).

It stressed that any investigation it conducts will not differentiate between group administrators and members.

“If the group administrator or any member is found to have spread false information, then legal action can be taken against them,” it said.

The MCMC said that group administrators would be held responsible if they make a comment, request, suggestion or other communication that is obscene, offensive, false, threatening or irritating with the intention to hurt, abuse, threaten or harass others.

Furthermore, they will also be held accountable if they ask for such comments from other members in the group, as well as if they incite any other person in the group to make such comments.

It also said that any group administrator who obstructs an investigation by any enforcement agency will also be culpable.

“On these matter, MCMC will consider the need to establish guidelines on the usage of messaging applications and the like.

“At the same time, the public is urged to always be prudent when using social media for their own good,” the commission said.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari was reported on Thursday as saying that provisions under the CMA allowed for WhatsApp group administrators to face legal action for failing to stop the spread of false information in their groups.

Source: The Star Online

Filed Under: Business Tech, Mobile World //

Jack Ma to launch Alibaba’s regional distribution hub in Malaysia

Posted on March 20, 2017 // Leave a Comment

Ready to go?: Ma and Najib are expected to announce the plans at an event in Kuala Lumpur. — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Limited plans to set up a regional distribution hub in Malaysia to cater to its fast-growing business in the region, two sources aware of the discussions said.

The hub would be sited within KLIA Aeropolis, a 24,700-acre development led by airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) that is expected to generate more than RM7bil worth of domestic and foreign investments.

Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak are expected to announce the plans at an event in Kuala Lumpur this week, the sources said.

The hub will be set up with the help of Malaysian state-linked agencies. It was not clear whether Alibaba would invest any funds in the project.

“Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has existing facility for Alibaba Group to pilot their distribution services here, and if (Alibaba) decide to expand in the future, there is the option to build more on other (undeveloped) sites in KLIA Aeropolis,” one source said.

Alibaba and the Malaysian prime minister’s office did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Najib appointed Ma as his government’s digital economy adviser during an official trip to China in November.

Malaysian media reported that Ma, whose Alibaba owns Chinese online shopping business Taobao, would help steer Malaysia’s e-economy development with the implementation of online payment and banking.

“Many people see Malaysia as an emerging hub next to Singapore. Malaysia may not be able to take all of Singapore’s business but it is a good choice (logistically),” one source said.

This would mark Alibaba’s first investment in Malaysia. The company invested US$1bil (RM4.44bil) last year to control Singapore-based e-commerce platform Lazada, Southeast Asia’s largest online shopping platform. It also increased its shareholding in Singapore Post to 14.4% from the 10.2% acquired in 2014 and bought a 20-percent stake in Thai e-payment service, Ascend Money.

Ties between Malaysia and Beijing have blossomed in recent months with a surge of investments from China.

China agreed to buy assets of troubled state fund 1MDB for US$2.3bil (RM10.2bil) in December 2015.

Najib returned from November’s Beijing visit with 14 agreements amounting to US$34.4bil (RM152.5bil), which included an agreement to buy four Chinese naval vessels and collaboration to build rail projects in Malaysia.

Sources said the distribution hub would be part of Malaysia’s Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ), also slated to be launched during Ma’s visit next week.

“KLIA Aeropolis includes many components and the DFTZ is likely a new component to be added into the development,” one source said.

Plans to establish the DFTZ were announced in the national budget last October. — Reuters

Source: Tech News | The Star Online

Filed Under: Business Tech //