Blocked online channel refuses MCMC's demand to take down contents

A meeting between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and TV Pertiwi, which is facing an access ban, ended with the online channel refusing to give in to a demand from the internet regulator to remove several contents on its website, many of them seen as critical of DAP.

TV Pertiwi, which specialises in current affairs talk shows, said it was told to take down the six pieces of content in question and agreed to do so on the condition that MCMC clarifies the offences present in the content.

However, it said that MCMC did not provide any explanation, merely citing complaints about the content that was broadcast without mentioning the specific legal violations it contained.

The news portal said that on Aug 24, MCMC sent an email requesting it to remove six pieces of content found to incite hatred towards the royal institution as well as ethnicity and religion, which could potentially disrupt public peace and harmony within the country, according to Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA1998).

The six contents are mostly interviews and news summaries bearing the titles "DAP sambung usaha hapus ketuanan Melayu"; "Kit Siang dapat anugerah tanpa jasa, pancing undi Melayu"; "DAP mahu sebar agenda liberal dan kristianisasi"; "Kerajaan dan penyokong Anwar takut Melayu bangkit?"; "Jom Ziarah Gereja: anjuran NGO di bawah KBS, sasar belia Muslim; and "Perkahwinan antara orang Islam dan bukan Islam tidak dibenarkan".

TV Pertiwi's website was blocked by MCMC on Aug 17, two days after restrictions were placed on its TikTok account.

Meanwhile, the online channel said that it placed the burden of strong evidence on MCMC, adding that it will defend its rights as an independent, objective, and credible news and information portal and is prepared to face any further actions, including legal proceedings.

"TV Pertiwi believes that the public has the right to receive balanced, unbiased, and objective information and news about events occurring within society and the country without being tied to any partisan political tendencies.

"Additionally, the freedom of the media and the expression of opinions or differing viewpoints should be celebrated as fundamental elements of human rights and as a hallmark of democratic practice on the progressive path towards informed and knowledgeable citizenship."