PUTRAJAYA, July 24 — The government will take stern action against individuals posting offensive and intimidating comments on social media, including WhatsApp, announced Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil. He revealed that there have been immoral and threatening statements, including death threats against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, following the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump in the United States. “It’s okay to have different opinions, but don’t go to the extreme. That’s outrageous,” he stated during the Ministry of Communications’ monthly assembly today.
Fahmi also plans to meet with editors-in-chief of Malaysia’s media industry to address the extreme comments on news posted on their social media platforms. He emphasized the importance of upholding public order and following His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim’s decree against turning social media into platforms for arguments and shaming. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) investigation identified 18 accounts posting illegal comments, with 12 being fake. Fahmi called for social media operators to take greater responsibility in curbing cyberbullying, online gambling advertisements, and offensive comments, urging parents to ensure children under 13 do not have their own accounts.
