Free Wi-Fi to all in Taiwan! Why not in Malaysia?

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Free Wi-Fi to all in Taiwan! Why not in Malaysia?

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12, 2024: Taiwan has become the first country in the world to offer free Wi-Fi to all its citizens and foreign tourists.

That is what a caring Government is about. Providing free access to digital information and knowledge to all, albeit abuses and fake information/news.

Malaysia’s population is currently 33.94 million and Taiwan 23.7 million.

Why can’t Malaysia also provide the same to all Malaysians?

No News Is Bad News reproduces below articles on the digital issues:

 

Taiwan flexes digital muscles with iTaiwan free Wi-Fi service

Date: 2017-04-11
Source: Department of Information Services, Executive Yuan

 

I. Background

iTaiwan is a public Wi-Fi service provided by the government free of charge to local residents and foreign visitors alike. This popular service has been touted by international media including CNN, which listed it as one of the "10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else," and The Daily Telegraph, which hailed Taiwan as "the first place in the world to offer free wireless internet access on a large scale to tourists."

Flexing Taiwan's digital muscles, the government has implemented several programs to provide convenient internet service for all. The Digital Nation and Innovative Economic Development Plan includes a vision for building an advanced nation where broadband access is a basic human right. The iTaiwan Wi-Fi upgrade plan will raise iTaiwan's connection speed and increase the number of Wi-Fi hotspots in public areas and mass transportation facilities. The Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program also includes a digital infrastructure component designed to close the urban-rural digital divide while making broadband service easily accessible.

II. Progress of the iTaiwan roll-out

The government has so far installed 10,136 iTaiwan hotspots throughout the country (including rural areas and offshore islands) to satisfy mobile user demands for faster internet speeds that allow them to stay connected while outdoors for work or play. The hotspots are geographically distributed to ensure widespread coverage while balancing urban and rural development, and signals have even been detected at Song Syue Lodge atop Hehuan Mountain, the highest hotel in Taiwan. The system currently has 4.13 million registered users, who have accessed the service a total of 210 million times, including 730,000 times by visiting tourists.

III. Comprehensive wireless service

The iTaiwan Wi-Fi upgrade plan contains several measures to increase usage by foreign visitors and address common user complaints about the system including poor connection quality on the high-speed rail, difficulty detecting hotspots/signals, not enough hotspots, and slow internet speeds.

A. Make iTaiwan accounts usable nationwide: Residents and visitors will be able to use a single account when travelling throughout Taiwan. The iTaiwan system will also be linked with the National Immigration Agency to make wireless internet available to foreign visitors as soon as they enter Taiwan.

B. Increase internet speeds: Fixed-line broadband speeds will be raised from 20 megabits per second (Mbps) to over 100 Mbps, increasing per-capita internet connection speed from 1 Mbps to over 5 Mbps.

C. Provide Wi-Fi all along the high-speed railway system: Taiwan's high-speed railway system has become a vital transportation tool since operations began 10 years ago in March 2007. So far, the bidding process for tunnel cable installation is almost completed, and all 34 trains (408 cars total) are scheduled to be outfitted with Wi-Fi equipment by July. By the end of July, all 12 high-speed rail stations are expected to have fourth-generation (4G) wireless connections and Wi-Fi service.

D. Increase iTaiwan hotspot coverage: To give people access to the internet when they need it, the government will first add hotspots at heavily trafficked locations such as airports, highway rest stops, national scenic areas, visitor centers, museums, libraries, exhibition halls, public hospitals, the 10 top night markets, and public transportation facilities. By allowing residents and visitors to enjoy easy access to wireless internet service, iTaiwan will demonstrate Taiwan's information infrastructure achievements and cement the nation's image as a technology powerhouse.

IV. Conclusion

In its World Development Report 2016, the World Bank estimated that a 10 percentage point increase in fixed broadband penetration would increase gross domestic product growth by 1.21 percent in developed economies. This is a clear indication that, for countries around the world, internet infrastructure and innovative application capabilities are now considered core competitive strengths.

In Taiwan, long-held expectations for Wi-Fi service on high speed rail trains will become a reality after the iTaiwan upgrade plan is completed, significantly increasing the ease of access to Wi-Fi and 4G internet service for passengers. Under the iTaiwan program, the public will enjoy faster and stronger information and communications technology, smart lifestyle technologies will become more common, and tourists will be able to enjoy free internet connections, all of which will contribute to Taiwan's image as an advanced nation for broadband internet technology.

Cost of broadband internet access and mobile data per month Malaysia 2023

Published by Statista Research Department, Mar 12, 2024

According to a study on internet access affordability in 2023, people in Malaysia had to pay 35.55 U.S. dollars per month on average for broadband internet access. Meanwhile, the cost of mobile data per 1GB was at 0.28 U.S. dollars per month. (For details, go to https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334943/malaysia-monthly-cost-of-broadband-internet-and-mobile-data/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20study%20on,average%20for%20broadband%20internet%20access.)

 

In brief

Proposed licensing of social media and internet messaging services providers and a new draft bill on digital safety – these are some of the recent updates in the online content space for Malaysia.

In more detail

On 15 December 2023, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)  reported that there was a significant increase in harmful content on social media and over-the-top platforms in 2023 as compared to in 2022.¹ Against this backdrop, the Malaysian Government (as with its counterparts in the region) is increasingly concerned about online safety and the harms that materialise as part of the proliferation of online content.

· Previously, we highlighted the announcement by the MCMC in December 2022 about the review of the online content regulation and framework: see our client alert here.

· There was also a subsequent announcement by the MCMC in September 2023, hinting at the introduction of  a regulatory framework to address issues such as online harm: see our client alert here.

· The Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (an industry body registered with the MCMC) also introduced new content classification ratings and best practices for online curated content providers in December 2023: see our client alert here.

Following on from the above, the announcements made by the Malaysian Government in the first three months of 2024 (as briefly summarised below), continue to hint at additional regulations being promulgated relating to online safety.

Proposed licensing of online services providers

The Deputy Communications Minister shared in the Parliament on 19 March 2024 that the proposal to licence online service providers, is being refined and the MCMC is in the midst of completing such licensing framework.² The framework purports to target providers of social media and internet messaging services which are accessible by users in Malaysia, and intends to enhance the level of online safety and address content that violates national laws.

New draft bill on online safety

The Communications Minister announced in February 2024 the formation of a cross-ministries committee to address online security issues, especially in relation to children.³ On 13 March 2024, the Working Committee Meeting on the Drafting of New Laws Related to Cybercrime No. 2 / 2024 announced that the working draft for the Digital Safety Bill 2023 has been completed.⁴ On 19 March 2024, the Deputy Communications Minister shared that the Communications Ministry has been working together with Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Department to carry out a study to enact the Online Safety Act.⁵

In the meantime, the Communications Minister noted that the MCMC is collaborating with the main telecommunications service providers in Malaysia to offer parental control tools for parents to filter, limit and block online content viewed by their children.⁶

Review of penalties and other aspects in the legislation

The Cabinet is reported to have approved in principle, on 8 March 2024, a review of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA).⁷ The Communications Minister shared that the review would address the following amendments:

· Penalties available under the law to meet the current economic conditions

· Technical issues given the growth of the telecommunications industry

· Section 233 of the CMA based on feedback from legislators

For context, Section 233(1)(a) of the CMA prohibits networked transmission of communication that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person. It has been regularly invoked for enforcement purposes e.g., a total of 65 charges have been filed out of 876 cases investigated in the 5-year period between 2018 and 2023.⁸

New journalism ethics code

Launched on 20 February 2024, the Malaysian Code of Ethics for Journalists ("Code") is hoped to “expand the media’s role in fighting fake news by providing the people with the tools they need to be able to confidently verify posts and news they see on social media”, said the Communications Minister.⁹ This Code is an update to its predecessor introduced in 1989 to be in line with technological developments, outlining eight ethical principles for journalists.

Establishment of media council

On a related note, the establishment of the Malaysian Media Council is said to have been approved in policy by the Cabinet on 21 February 2024.¹⁰ The Communications Minister shared that the Malaysian Media Council Bill is being finalised and may be tabled in the Parliament for approval in June 2024. This Bill is expected to include, among others, dispute resolution procedure for public complaints against the media. Previously, it was reported that the Malaysian Media Council would cover all types of media in Malaysia, including electronic and online media.¹¹

Addressing online anonymity

The Chairman of the Online Harms and Information Security Committee, a special committee under the MCMC, has also proposed a number measures to address the issue of anonymous users and scams e.g.,:¹²

· Registration of social media, over-the-top platforms and digital services providers

· Legal responsibility on these providers to verify identity of those individuals accessing network facilities and to adopt a strict know-your-customer policy

· Fines on these providers proportionate to their global revenue in the event of breaches

· Prohibition on unsolicited digital communications without identifying the actual sender

Some of the recent developments (e.g., proposed licensing of certain online services providers) are consistent with the proposed measures above. It remains to be seen whether other measures will eventually materialise.

Concluding remarks

The aforementioned developments evidence an increased focus by the Malaysian Government and a deep-seated commitment and effort to address online harms and encourage online safety. All enterprises are encouraged to watch the development of this space closely in the months to come as regulation in this space heats up.

1 https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/media/press-releases/mcmc-protects-individuals-from-online-harms
2 https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/705085
3 https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/02/04/fahmi-says-to-discuss-forming-committee-for-online-safety-with-azalina-gobind/116318
4 https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/1025405/working-draft-digital-safety-bill-2023-completed-azalina
5 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/19/study-being-done-to-enact-online-safety-act-says-deputy-comms-minister
6 https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=2278756
7 https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/08/fahmi-cabinet-approves-review-of-penalties-under-communications-and-multimedia-act/122253
8 https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/691524
9 https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/20/communications-ministry-launches-malaysian-code-of-ethics-for-journalists
10 https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/02/21/cabinet-approves-malaysian-media-council-bill-for-june-tabling/
11 https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/557083/gobind-announces-pro-tem-committee-line-media-council
12 https://www.scoop.my/news/167497/no-more-anonymous-users-mcmc-body-mulls-framework-stringent-measures-to-combat-online-scams/

 

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Kuala Lumpur
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