MCMC in response of SMS spam in Malaysia

A useful message for users bugged with SMS spam in Malaysia. This is a must read for all Malaysian.  I'm not sure whether is this also implemented else where in the world but in Malaysia the fight SMS spam is reported to see some lights, off course if this is being implemented correctly and strictly enforced and not just to fish for voters because of the general election is just around the corner.

This message was sent by a reader with the initial CASS and here is its contents

Dear Fellow Mobile Users,

I need your help to make this campaign successful.

Please send emails to the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) officials listed below, demanding that MCMC make it mandatory for all telcos to install the below-described spam sms filtering program. Please send your emails repeatedly, hopefully at least once a day until the implementation of the below-described filtering program by all telcos (Maxis, Celcom, DiGi, Tune Talk, U-Mobile and etc). Also, please forward this email to as many others as you can.

drrais@kpkk.gov.my, kamaruddin@kpkk.gov.my, ali@pmo.gov.my, idris.jala@pemandu.gov.my, zabidi@mampu.cov.my, jailani@cmc.gov.my, hazirah@cmc.gov.my, norliza@cmc.gov.my, che.norhazreen@cmc.gov.my, aishah@cmc.gov.my, zur@cmc.gov.my, sharizanaa@cmc.gov.my, devi@cmc.gov.my, shaharliza@cmc.gov.my, hussin@cmc.gov.my, mazlan@cmc.gov.my, aduan@cfm.org.my, amar@cmc.gov.my, mohd.rashdi@cmc.gov.my, saiful.azhar@cmc.gov.my, azizan@cmc.gov.my, eneng@cmc.gov.my, masniza.Ilias@cmc.gov.my, naomi@cmc.gov.my

Jailani is MCMC's Chief Regulatory Officer. Zur is MCMC's Head of Enforcement Division. Mazlan Is MCMC's Head of Investigations Dept. Shahrizan is MCMC's Head of Compliance/Consumer Protection.

Some telcos claim they have installed spam sms filtering program in their network syatems. I don't know if it is true or not. Assuming it is true, the current in use spam sms filtering program is INEFFECTIVE, judging by the spam sms we are still receiving.

An effective spam sms filtering program can be installed in each telco's server that gives mobile users manual control over which mobile and shortcode numbers they want to receive spam sms from.

This is how the effective spam sms filtering program works:-

Each mobile user submits a list of mobile and shortcode numbers that he/she wants to receive sms from. This can be done by requiring each telco to allow its mobile users to send eg. "accept sms 0105505500"to a specially designated number in the telco's network systems.

Each time an sms is sent to a mobile user, before the sms is sent into the mobile user's phone, the telco's network systems will compare the sms sender's number against the list of numbers already submitted by the intended recipient mobile user.

If an sms is sent from a mobile or shortcode number that is NOT in the list of numbers that the intended recipient want to receive sms from, then the sms is a spam sms. The spam sms is NOT forwarded into the intended recipient's phone, is blocked by the spam sms filtering program at the telco's network systems and deleted.

Later, if after a mobile user has put a friend's mobile number into the list of numbers he/she wants to receive sms from, the friend changes phone number, the mobile user can remove his/her friend's previous number by sending eg. "remove sms 0105505500" to the same specially designated number in the telco's network systems.

The spam sms filtering program is simple to create, easily and quickly integrated into the telcos' existing network systems without the need for massive systems revamp and will eliminate the problem of spam smscompletely.

Telcoswill not install the spam sms filtering program willingly or voluntarily as this will reduce their profits. That is why mobile users like us must force MCMC into making mandatory for all telcos to install this spam sms filtering program in their network systems.

MCMC has consistently ignored mobile users' repeated complaints on the issue of spam sms and refused to act against the telcos and other sms spammers. This is despite spam sms being in breach of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, its Content Code and General Consumer Code.

Please support this Email Campaign Against Spam SMS.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What can a weak citizen do to fight the o'mighty and powerful? You can help by spreading the news in your blogs, article writeup and let the world know.