THE Ministry of Communications said legal action was being taken against Telegram and the administrators of the Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas channels following the display of content in violation of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).
Its Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, said for now, an interim order by the court led to the removal of the content stated in the legal action filed and the closure of the channels.
“Currently, legal action filed against Telegram and the administrators of the Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas channels is still under consideration by the court,” he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat.
He said this in response to a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) regarding the government’s assurance that action against Telegram channels such as Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas will not affect freedom of expression, especially when the content being disseminated is related to transparency and anti-corruption issues.
Fahmi said citizens are generally free to display content on any social media platform, including on issues of transparency and anti-corruption.
“(It is) as long as the content and its display do not violate the provisions of the law.
“The same goes for social media platforms, where content can be displayed, but the platforms must be responsible for ensuring that it does not violate the provisions of the law,” he said.
Fahmi said the government remains committed to ensuring that the country's digital space remains safe, ethical and in line with the law. – July 24, 2025
