Malaysia currently lacks a dedicated legal framework to effectively address the increasing scale and sophistication of spam-related activities, which have seen a nearly 200% surge in reported complaints between 2021 and 2025. In response, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is proposing a regulatory framework for Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Messages (UCEM), commonly referred to as spam (“Proposed Framework“). On 13 August 2025, MCMC issued a public consultation paper (PCP) inviting feedback on the Proposed Framework.
The Proposed Framework:
- Will eventually be developed into subsidiary legislation to complement Section 233A of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (i.e., no person shall send, cause to be sent or authorise the sending of UCEM)
- Aims to provide a clear, enforceable set of rules to enhance consumer protection, while supporting responsible digital marketing in Malaysia’s growing digital economy
Conclusion
The MCMC is seeking feedback on the Proposed Framework by 5 pm on 27 August 2025. Once implemented, the Proposed Framework is expected to significantly reshape how organizations conduct digital marketing activities. In particular, businesses will need to determine whether their CEMs have a Malaysian link. If so, they must revise their data collection and acquisition strategies, as well as update their marketing materials to comply with the specific requirements of the Proposed Framework.
Click here to read the full alert, including a high level overview of the key proposals outlined in the PCP.
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