Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is poised to become the fourth internet messaging and social media service provider to receive an operating licence in Malaysia. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that, as of 5:00 PM on 7 January 2025, WeChat, TikTok, and Telegram have been granted the Applications Service Provider Class (ASP(C)) licence. Meta has submitted several documents to address issues raised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Minister Fahmi expressed confidence in the process, stating, “I expect the process to proceed orderly and smoothly. So far, three have received licences, namely WeChat, TikTok, and Telegram; Meta will follow soon.” He also noted that discussions with Google, which operates YouTube, and X are ongoing.
Regarding X’s claim that its user base in Malaysia does not reach eight million, Fahmi mentioned that MCMC requires additional time to verify this matter. He further explained that YouTube could be classified as a social media application due to the presence of YouTube Shorts, which resembles TikTok and includes sharing features and a comment section.
Concerning LinkedIn, Fahmi stated that MCMC has been tasked with assessing whether the platform has a substantial user base in Malaysia, exceeding eight million users, to determine if it should also be defined as a social media platform.
