MCMC Crackdown on Abuse of Social Media

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) raided 11 locations in several states to curb the abuse of social media in the country. The raids were carried out in Putrajaya; Petaling Jaya (Selangor); Perai and Simpang Ampat (Pulau Pinang); Kerteh and Kuala Dungun (Terengganu); Pasir Puteh (Kelantan); Kluang and Indahputra (Johor); as well as Bachang and Masjid Tanah (Melaka).

Datuk Mohd. Shafie Harun, the MCMC's Enforcement and Investigation Division Head, said most of the offences were the act of transmitting pornographic content such as sex videos. Other offences were sending of unscrupulous SMS messages which were offensive and insulting and of threatening content with the intent to annoy others.

"Conversation recordings were also taken from the suspects while several communication devices, SIM cards, memory cards, laptops and hard drives were seized for further investigations," he said. Mohd. Shafie said it is an offence under Section 23 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to post any content which is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in nature with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person. "And it carries a fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both, upon conviction."