THE Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is awaiting a decision from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on its investigation into former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over remarks concerning foreign nationals and the targeted RON95 petrol subsidy.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the case had been referred to the AGC for further action.
“The case has been referred to the AGC. We are still waiting for its decision,” she said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) on the number of fake news cases recorded since 2023, the action taken and the penalties imposed.
The investigation followed a dispute over allegations that Muhyiddin had defended the interests of foreigners in relation to the government’s targeted RON95 subsidy scheme.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously urged opposition MPs to read Muhyiddin’s remarks, which he said questioned the government’s treatment of foreigners under the subsidy rationalisation exercise.
Muhyiddin, the Pagoh MP, denied the allegation, describing it as a lie and defamation. Anwar subsequently directed MCMC to investigate the former prime minister’s statement.
Teo said complaints about potentially false online content underwent several stages of assessment, beginning with an initial review by MCMC.
“If a complaint is received, MCMC will assess it and, if there is a possibility of a breach of the law, refer it to the relevant platform,” she said.
She added that the platform would conduct its own assessment to determine whether the content violated the law or its community guidelines.
Separately, Teo said 65,680 requests to remove harmful and false online content were submitted to service providers between January 2023 and Oct 15 this year.
Of these, 56,304 items, or 86 per cent, had been removed following assessments based on complaints, platform community guidelines and applicable laws.
She said the requests formed part of regulatory and enforcement measures under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2025.
During the same period, MCMC investigated 546 cases involving false content under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. - October 28, 2026
