Na'im Brundage has become accustomed to losing his TikTok accounts, along with his large pool of subscribers.

There has been an uptick in restrictions of TikTok clips critical of government policies under Anwar Ibrahim's administration.

This is despite the one-and-a-half minute video making no attempt to side with any party on the issue.

TikTok has faced growing calls from US lawmakers for a nationwide ban over concerns about possible Chinese government influence.

The local media outlet is still awaiting a response from TikTok.

TikTok has been aggressively courting Southeast Asia for its e-commerce business, with CEO Shou Zi Chew saying last month that the company would invest billions of dollars into the region over the next few years.

The Kedah menteri besar has challenged authorities not to gag him ahead of the state elections campaign.

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says the government has many other things to do, following the claim by Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

The communications minister tells critics they are being monitored by the authorities.

Since the government has been taking issues with social media platform providers, a natural solution is to set up an alternative, state-linked platform.

Southeast Asia, a region with a collective population of 630 million – half of them under 30 – is one of TikTok's biggest markets in terms of user numbers.

The ban, set to start in 2024, violates the constitutionally protected right to free speech, TikTok argues.