Muda condemns MCMC's legal threat against MCA TikTok critic

Summary

• Muda condemns MCMC’s legal threat against Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun, saying the commission isn’t immune to public criticism and shouldn’t act as an “internet police”.

• Wong had questioned MCMC’s order for telcos to turn over user data to the government.

• Muda urges MCMC to withdraw all legal demands, calls on the communications minister to explain, and demands an audit into the commission for alleged abuses of power.

Muda vice-president Dobby Chew reminded the MCMC that it is not immune to public criticism, following a reported legal threat against Pahang MCA Youth leader Wong Siew Mun.

Wong, on TikTok last month, questioned MCMC’s order for telecommunications companies to turn over detailed records about their users’ phone and internet usage.

In a statement today, Chew (above) described MCMC’s threat against Wong as “clear evidence” that it is acting as an “internet police force” rather than a communications regulator with respect for freedom of expression.

“MCMC must realise that it is not immune to criticism from the rakyat. This is Malaysia, not Israel,” he said.

Yesterday, MCA president Wee Ka Siong said the party enlisted prominent human rights lawyer Edmund Bon to represent Wong, who was served with a legal letter by a firm acting on behalf of MCMC.

Wee said a letter was issued to Wong demanding an apology within 24 hours and the removal of her BM video from TikTok.

“Thirdly, in this letter, she was also asked to promise that she would never comment on any social media platform, and if there is any similar content, it must be taken down. This is an unreasonable request,” said the Ayer Hitam MP.

Since then, police have questioned Wong and confiscated her phone.

‘M’sia doesn’t need internet police’

Meanwhile, Chew stressed that no public body - especially one with authority over the internet and citizens’ data - should act like an authoritarian institution.

“Today it’s Wong; tomorrow, who will it be? Journalists? Activists? Students?” he questioned.

He also called on Malaysians to consider whether the commission could be trusted to handle their data fairly if it “cannot tolerate a single TikTok video”.

Chew urged the MCMC to immediately withdraw all legal demands and pressed Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil to provide a full explanation in Parliament.

He further demanded an independent audit of the commission over what he claimed were repeated abuses of power.

“Malaysia does not need an ‘Internet Police’. What we need is a public institution that respects the people’s voices, not one that silences them,” he added.

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