Malaysia has launched a public consultation on establishing a National Internet Registry (NIR) that would give the government authority over IP address and autonomous system number allocation within the country. The proposal, outlined in a June consultation paper by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), seeks to update the nation's 1998 communications law to create a statutory body managing electronic addressing resources. The MCMC argues this would support transparent administration and contribute to more robust digital infrastructure governance in Malaysia.
National Internet Registries are largely historical artifacts from before regional internet registries became the standard. Only nine NIRs currently exist worldwide, covering China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Mexico, and Brazil. The Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) stopped accepting new NIR applications in 2012 and made this moratorium permanent in 2024, reflecting a global consensus that regional-scale organizations handle internet resource distribution more effectively than country-level entities.
APNIC has expressed concerns about Malaysia's proposal, noting that the MCMC seeks "full operational and technical autonomy over resource assignments," powers that existing NIRs do not possess. APNIC Executive Chair Kenny Huang has formally written to the MCMC explaining that creating new NIRs is currently not possible under existing policies. While APNIC could theoretically revisit its position through a consultation process, any such discussion could only begin after completion of ICP-2, a major revision of rules governing regional internet registries scheduled for completion by late 2026.
The proposal challenges the established multi-stakeholder governance model that the United Nations reaffirmed in 2023, under which governments participate as one voice among many in internet policy discussions. Internet governance experts have long maintained that concentrating resource management at the regional level prevents fragmentation and reduces risks of overlapping authorities. The concern is that national control over internet resources could enable political interference, such as denying addresses to opposition groups or organizations a government disfavors.
If Malaysia proceeds with establishing an NIR, it will directly conflict with APNIC's current policies and potentially reopen debates about governmental roles in internet resource allocation. Organizations currently seeking IP addresses or AS numbers in Malaysia should monitor the consultation process, which could affect how they obtain these resources in the future. The consultation represents a significant test of whether individual nations can successfully challenge the regional registry model that has governed internet resource distribution for decades.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/networks/2026/06/29/malaysia-ponders-regulating-management-of-ip-addresses/5263460