The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Royal Malaysian Police have issued a joint statement requesting online media platforms like TikTok and Meta to strengthen their harmful content policies. The MCMC is collaborating with other government departments and enforcement agencies to address the dissemination of sensitive content related to race, religion, and royalty, often referred to as the “3Rs”.
The authorities noted a recent surge in damaging content, with 51,638 cases necessitating further action by online social media platforms within the first quarter of this year alone. By comparison, there were 42,904 cases that drew the government’s attention throughout the entirety of 2023.
The requirements laid out by the Malaysian government for platforms like TikTok and Meta-owned Facebook demand a comprehensive plan detailing how these platforms will monitor sensitive 3R content, scams, and illegal online gambling. This plan needs to be congruent with each platform’s community guidelines as well as Malaysian laws. Social media platforms were also asked to safeguard children from harmful content by enforcing age verification requirements. Read the official statement here.
The topic of religion, one of the 3Rs, has sparked several controversies recently in Malaysia. A notable case involved a Malaysian convenience store chain selling socks printed with the word “Allah”. This act resulted in the owner and the supplier facing charges for “deliberately wounding the religious feelings of Muslims” under Malaysian Penal Code Section 298. The stores were also the targets of several petrol bomb attacks. More details on the incident here.
Malaysia is a vibrant tapestry of ethnic and religious diversity, with a majority population of Muslim Bumiputera (Malays and Indigenous peoples). The Malaysian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, to be practiced in peace and harmony. However, the US Department of State’s 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom noted that Malaysian law tends to prioritize the protection of Sunni Islam over other faiths. That same report also highlighted the selective prosecution of blasphemy charges and recorded instances of forced conversions among the Indigenous population. Full text of the Constitution here and the report here.
Human rights organizations have expressed concerns over the use of blasphemy laws like Penal Code section 298, warning of the potential for abuse and violation of rights. These violations could infringe the principles of freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief, and equality and discrimination stipulated in customary international law, the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Find the briefing here.