KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Digital Communications Minister Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil will reportedly meet with Malaysian representatives of the popular social media platform TikTok, following the spread of hate-filled propaganda messages after the 15th general election (GE15) especially involving the bloody May 13 riots in 1969.
The Vibes reported Fahmi saying that the meeting is to enable him to understand the platform’s regulatory framework regarding racial and religious sensitivities.
“I’d like to find out about TikTok Malaysia’s system [for regulating content]. Why is it that we are seeing so much extremist and racist content that is being perpetuated?
“The regulatory framework is something that I am concerned about as well as the immediate steps that can be taken, given the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Conference of Rulers have called on the people and politicians to unite,” the Lembah Pantai MP reportedly said.
Last month, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said that the agency and the police have summoned the management of TikTok to explain videos warning that the May 13 race riots could repeat on the platform.
The commission said the video-sharing platform was summoned over a news portal’s report that found at least three such criminally provocative videos were paid to be promoted to viewers on the service.
Previously, news portal Malaysiakini reported that at least three such videos were published on the platform as part of “paid partnerships”.
The police have warned the public against uploading content that would threaten public safety and order, after some internet users began exposing the distribution of videos threatening or referring to the May 13 riots following the result of the GE15.
In response, Fahmi said that all social media outlets needed to assist in the government’s efforts in ensuring extremist elements were not spreading their message through the platforms, citing the regulations introduced by Facebook after the 2016 presidential campaign of Donald Trump, which saw the social media giant address allegations of foreign intervention on its platform.
“As a result, we saw how Meta began altering both their algorithm as well as ensuring that whoever wants to boost political messages during an election is better regulated,” Fahmi said, referring to the parent company of Facebook.
“There is no clarity on the framework of TikTok when it comes to this — not only during elections in Malaysia, but in general. So this is worrying not only in Malaysia, but many other countries face a similar issue or situation,” Fahmi said, adding that the meeting would be on cordial terms to hear out from the TikTok representatives.
“I’d like to hear from them on why they have allowed their platform to spread this kind of [extremist] messaging and how far along have their discussions with MCMC been. Technically, it’s my first day at the office. So I would like a nice atmosphere that is conducive for dialogue and discussion.”
Fahmi also weighed in on the recent arrest of Zulfadzli Halim, better known by his online account @bumilangit on Twitter for highlighting the May 13 videos on his profile, Fahmi said this was a case of “mistaken identity”.
Fahmi reportedly said it is clear that Zulfadzli is not the content creator, adding that when it comes to highlighting extremists and violent messages, authorities must understand the difference between content creator, sharer, aggregator, or whistleblower.
The 39-year-old who exposed what he deemed to be racially and religiously divisive content on social media throughout GE15, was arrested last month for sedition.
After his release from police detention, Zulfadzli maintained his innocence and said that social media posts that contain extremist views have no place in multicultural and multiracial Malaysia.
