The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has summoned executives of news portal The Malaysian Insight (TMI) for questioning over an editorial. 

According to a TMI report today, the MCMC action is over a Dec 1 editorial about the recently concluded royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into Bank Negara’s forex losses in the 1990s.

“Officers from the MCMC said the agency was responding to a report by Jaringan Melayu Malaysia, which said TMI had made fun of the RCI,” the report said.

The report also noted that five TMI executives were summoned by the MCMC, including CEO and editor Jahabar Sadiq, but did not mention when or where the questioning will take place.

Meanwhile, MCMC confirmed in a statement that TMI was under probe, based on complaints received from members of the public. 

"MCMC would like to urge all quarters to not speculate and give space for a fair and thorough investigation to take place. 

"MCMC will call the editor, director and other individuals involved to have their statements recorded soon to assist investigations," the commission said.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak had previously confirmed that MCMC was investigating TMI.

“A report on TMI has been received, and the MCMC is investigating it.

“If it violates any Acts, we will surely investigate and send the report to the relevant authorities for further action,” he said last week, but declined to disclose the nature of the report.

He was asked on the matter after Penang Umno delegate Mohd Nashrol Hisham urged authorities to investigate TMI during his speech at the party's general assembly earlier that day.

Mohd Nashrol had accused TMI of insulting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, but did not elaborate on the nature of the insult.

Meanwhile, a photo caption accompanying the TMI report today stated that their office had also been visisted by officials from the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

“They left after a short while, after finding everything to be in order at the office,” it said.