KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 – Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has assured the public that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is only collecting anonymised data from telecommunications providers, with no personally identifiable information involved.
Speaking after an Aidiladha event in Lembah Pantai, Fahmi clarified that the mobile phone data request covering January to March 2025 strictly pertains to aggregated information, shared and handled securely by telcos. The initiative, approved by the Cabinet, is aimed at enhancing data-driven policymaking by the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Fahmi highlighted that the data would help provide accurate insights on service coverage and usage at the sub-district level, supporting national planning and infrastructure improvements. He emphasized that industry stakeholders, including MCMC and telcos, have worked together since 2023 to ensure transparency and public trust.
Fahmi further noted that this marks a shift from broad national coverage reporting to more precise, location-specific data collection. Reiterating MCMC’s stance, he affirmed that stringent safeguards are in place and that the data involved cannot be used to identify individuals.
