SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and police are tracing those behind AI-manipulated content involving Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the mourning period following the death of his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said MCMC had identified several accounts spreading what he described as “extremely offensive” content, including material that misused artificial intelligence (AI) to humiliate the former prime minister.
“MCMC has identified several accounts spreading extremely offensive content, including those which misused AI applications to humiliate Tun Dr Mahathir during Tun Hasmah’s funeral.
READ MORE: MCMC may take legal action over AI-manipulated Dr Mahathir footage
“The authorities will take action. I myself saw that one of the accounts had disappeared, although we have yet to determine whether it was a fake account,” he said.
He said this after officiating the Program MADANI Kita (PMK) Kota Anggerik @ Shah Alam at Dewan Melati, Section 7, here today.
Also present were Selangor youth, sports and entrepreneurship committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi, who is also Kota Anggerik assemblyman, and Shah Alam MP Azli Yusof.
Fahmi also urged members of the public and citizen journalists to respect the family’s request for privacy during the mourning period.
“Give Tun Dr Mahathir time, as requested by the family representative, Datuk Seri Mukhriz.
“For members of the media, I also want to give a reminder that we should give them space and respect the family’s request while they are grieving,” he said.
Fahmi said MCMC was working with the police to trace those responsible for producing the content.
He added that complaints concerning media reporting itself should be channelled through the Malaysian Media Council’s official complaints mechanism.
The latest remarks follow an MCMC statement on Oct 2 in which the commission said it was scrutinising social media content allegedly using AI to manipulate footage of Mahathir while he was grieving the death of Siti Hasmah. MCMC said it had contacted the relevant social media platforms over the content.
It said appropriate action could be taken under existing laws, including the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588), if its review found any legal violations.
