398 3R Content Taken Down As Of April, 8,540 Since 2022 - Teo

JOHOR BAHRU, May 9 (Bernama) -- A total of 398 pieces of content related to issues involving religion, royalty, and race (3R) have been taken down by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as of April this year.

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the removal was part of the response to 750 complaints received requesting the removal of sensitive 3R-related content between January and April this year, while a total of 8,540 pieces of 3R-related content have been removed from 2022 until April this year.

“We have seen the number of complaints received rise each year. In 2022, a total of 175 pieces of content were taken down, rising to 1,633 in 2023, 4,830 in 2024, and slightly decreasing to 1,504 last year.

“For this year, 750 requests have been submitted to platform owners, and so far 398 of them have been taken down. These figures are as of April 30,” she told reporters after attending a TikTok Shop Content Creator Education workshop at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Senai here today.

Most cases involving 3R-related content are investigated by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) based on an understanding between the agency and MCMC, she added.

“MCMC acts as a technical partner by providing expert support to assist the police in identifying the individuals behind the accounts involved.

“The decision on whether a case is brought to court or action is taken under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) is subject to the consideration of the Attorney General’s Chambers,” she said.

She also advised the public, especially the younger generation, to produce content that carries positive messages and avoids touching on sensitive issues.

“Not all content needs to be sensational or provocative to go viral. Content creators such as ‘Abang Minyak Hitam Jalanan’ and Dicky, who recently went viral, were given special recognition as Sahabat Perpaduan MADANI by the National Unity Ministry, proving that positive messages can also attract widespread attention.

“All of us as content creators need to be more responsible and can emulate icons such as Abang Minyak Hitam and Dicky in producing content that has a positive impact on society,” she said.

On today’s programme, she said the TikTok Shop Content Creator Education Workshop was organised by MCMC in collaboration with TikTok Shop as an effort to empower digital literacy and ethical content creation.

The initiative aims to help participants improve their digital skills, learn online business strategies, and strengthen income-generating potential through the TikTok Shop platform.

So far, 19 locations in Johor have been identified for the implementation of the workshop, which is also offered in various languages including Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin, she added.

--BERNAMA