THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today granted a Judgement in Default of Defence against the administrators of the ‘Edisi Siasat’ and ‘Edisi Khas’ Telegram channels after they failed to enter an appearance or file a defence in the lawsuit brought by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
The ruling includes key orders, among them a declaration that the administrators had allowed the publication and distribution of harmful content targeting affected public institutions and public officials in Malaysia.
The Court also issued a mandatory injunction requiring the immediate and permanent removal of all “false, threatening and harmful” content previously published on the channels.
In addition, a prohibitory injunction was granted to prevent the administrators, their agents, employees or associates from republishing the same content or disseminating any new content of a similar harmful nature. The Court further ordered an assessment of damages to determine general and exemplary damages at a later date.
The decision reaffirms the principle that freedom of expression online must not be abused for “defamation, threats, extortion or the spread of false information” that could harm personal reputations, public safety or societal harmony.
Earlier, MCMC had conducted visits to 359 communications device premises nationwide to brief owners and staff on the requirement for MCMC certification and labelling on communications devices. The visits, undertaken under the “Direct Engagement” programme, ran from June 2024 to November 2025.
This initiative is aimed at ensuring that devices sold are safe, genuine, compliant with standards, compatible with the network and free from frequency interference.
MCMC reminded the public that selling or using devices without approval or an MCMC label is an offence, carrying penalties of up to RM300,000, up to three years’ imprisonment, or both.
Traders, according to MCMC, responded positively to the outreach and expressed commitment to comply with certification and labelling requirements.
The commission said the effort reflects its ongoing commitment to safeguarding user safety and protecting the integrity of the national communications network by ensuring that only standard-compliant equipment is available on the market.
Consumers are encouraged to purchase only certified devices carrying the MCMC label. To ease verification, the public is urged to use the Check Your Label (CYL) application, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, by entering the MCMC Label ID, IMEI number or serial number to confirm certification status and device legitimacy. - November 14, 2025