'If govt is one-sided, why is Kepala Batas MP's speech still online?'

KUALA LUMPUR: It is unfair to claim the government has a one-sided approach to removing sensitive content on social media, says Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching.

She believed Opposition MPs would also agree with the social media postings removed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as well as actions taken by the police.

“If criticism and slander of the current government is removed immediately, why is the video of Kepala Batas' (Siti Mastura Muhammad of PAS) speech still on social media?

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“We never removed it,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Nov 8).

Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor) had claimed the government was one-sided when it came to removing sensitive content from social media platforms.

Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) interjected, saying this was not a fair comparison.

“Yang Berhormat, you can’t give an example like that,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor then called for decorum, and for Teo to wrap up her response.

“The accusations made are unfair. There is no proof.

“It's not like you don’t see any criticism towards the current government on social media,” Teo said.

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Teo was referring to Siti Mastura’s claim that DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng was related by blood to Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng.

In a now-viral video, she also linked Lim and his wife Betty Chew Gek Cheng to other DAP leaders, namely Anthony Loke, Teresa Kok, Nga Kor Ming and Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.

She also claimed that DAP stalwart Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang was a cousin of former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Siti Mastura allegedly made the claim during an election campaign for the Kemaman by-election.

In another supplementary question, Wan Saiful questioned the actions of a minister drinking alcohol in public, adding that it had violated the ethics code.

To this, Teo asked which part of the code of conduct stated that non-Muslim Cabinet ministers could not drink alcohol.

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“If drinking violates the code, the Chief Secretary to the Government will advise the said minister.

“Maybe you can help in informing which part of the code of conduct states this,” she said.

Earlier, Teo said 75 investigation papers have been opened by the Royal Malaysia Police towards incidents of fake news and 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues spread over social media as of Nov 1.

She said 45 of the probes have since been completed with 30 other cases still being investigated by the police, Attorney General’s Chambers and the MCMC.

Teo said a total of 156 unverified news reports with 3R insinuations were also detected since the ministry formed its task force to handle fake news in December.

She added that some 3,752 postings have been removed from social media between Jan 1 and Oct 31 for spreading fake news and containing hate speech.