KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities are investigating a school bus driver who posts content that features children and those who made inappropriate comments on his post, says Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He also cautioned teachers against uploading content involving schoolchildren as doing so is a crime under the Child Act 2001.
Fahmi said this after attending the International Legal Conference on Online Harms 2024 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here on Friday (Sept 6).
“The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has asked TikTok to preserve the bus driver’s data to ensure that all the information that the police need to investigate is made available as soon as possible.
“TikTok has cooperated with the police so far,” said Fahmi.
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He said that it is worrying how TikTok has allowed such content to be uploaded for so long.
“We do not know how many other similar accounts with such content are also on social media platforms.
“Minors under 13 years old should not have social media accounts. I call upon all, including teachers, not to make content that includes minors,” said Fahmi.
Earlier on Friday morning, the Police arrested a 24-year-old school bus driver after he was alleged to have secretly recorded videos of primary schoolgirls and uploaded them on TikTok after police reports were lodged against him on Thursday (Sept 5).
In his speech at the event, Fahmi warned social media platforms to behave responsibly in Malaysia by following the laws and adhering to the nation's sensitivities.
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“Through the licensing (of social media platforms) legislation that we will bring to the Parliament in the following October session and implement in January 2025, we want to send a message to social media platforms. Wherever they come from, they must put in place safeguards for Malaysians.
“We would like to see a social media landscape which is safe for children and families,” says Fahmi.
He added that over the last two years, the government has met with social media platforms 21 times to tell them to change their ways. However, nothing has been done until today.
“I feel the time that social media platforms are operating in the proverbial wild, wild west where they can do anything they like should come to an end,” said Fahmi.
