KUALA LUMPUR: Any request through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to social media platforms to remove content is made to protect the people from being influenced by false information, said Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching (pix).
However, she rejected claims that the government arbitrarily takes action against any individual’s social media accounts, including opposition politicians who criticise the government.
“It is true that the ministry, through the MCMC, has made requests to platform providers such as Meta or TikTok to remove content that contains fake news or fraudulent elements. This is to protect the rights of the people so that the general public is not influenced by false information.
“(But) if it is said that all content that are removed is because it criticises the government, Yang Berhormat Muar (Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman) uploaded a video on TikTok criticising me, why didn’t I ask TikTok to take it down or block his account?
“Many more accounts owned by opposition Members of Parliament can still be accessed on TikTok, such as Putrajaya Member of Parliament’s (Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin’s) whom Muar mentioned that the Putrajaya account has been blocked on TikTok when in fact the Putrajaya MP’s TikTok account is still there,“ she said.
Teo said this in response to Datuk Ahmad Saad’s speech (PN-Pokok Sena) regarding why there seems to be a double standard from the government towards media content and why there is no firm action from the ministry against provocative statements by Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders during a special chambers session of the Dewan Rakyat today.
Meanwhile, she said the government does not compromise on any form of religious and racial provocations.
According to her, action will be taken against any party that incites provocations related to sensitive issues, especially religion and race. -Bernama
