The Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office has demanded an apology from Meta, the parent company of American social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.
It comes after Meta removed Facebook posts uploaded by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
The company also blocked the livestream of a rally supporting Palestine.
In a press statement on Monday (5 Aug), ironically released over Facebook, the Media and Strategic Communications Division of the PMO said it summoned Meta for a meeting that day.
Present at the meeting were Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Mohamad Salim Fateh Din. It didn’t indicate who represented Meta.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia/Sadiq Asyraf on Facebook
The purpose of the meeting was to “demand an explanation” from Meta.
During the meeting, the PMO expressed dismay at two actions carried out by Meta.
Firstly, the removal of a number of posts Mr Anwar made expressing his condolences and paying tribute to late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was reportedly killed in Iran on 31 July by a missile that hit a state guesthouse he was staying in.
Secondly, the blocking of a broadcast of the Palestinian Liberation Rally held in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (4 Aug) and livestreamed by news channel Berita RTM on Facebook.
Mr Anwar had attended and spoken at the rally.
Source: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook
On the removal of Mr Anwar’s posts, the PMO said it views this as “discriminatory, unjust, and a blatant suppression of free expression”, adding:
It is also seen as an affront to the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people in their pursuit of justice and human rights.
The removal of the posts has also “deeply impacted the people of Malaysia and the global community”, who are “well aware of the suffering of the Palestinian people and the atrocities committed by the Zionist Israeli regime, as recorded in history”, the statement said.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia/Sadiq Asyraf on Facebook
Meta’s “unilateral decision” to censor the content “raises questions about the transparency of (its) content moderation policies”, it added.
The PMO demanded a public apology from Meta, among “several actions” it requires.
It also wants a “detailed explanation of Meta’s decisions to rectify the matter”.
Meta will issue a press statement regarding the matter, as promised during the meeting, the PMO said.
The company has yet to release this statement.
Also read: Sun Xueling slams Meta for resisting S’pore govt’s anti-scam efforts
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Featured image adapted from Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook and Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia/Sadiq Asyraf on Facebook.
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