PUTRAJAYA – The government always defends media freedom, but the right should not be abused, said Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
Referring to two Hari Raya Aidilfitri-themed commercials promoting gambling that recently came to light, the communications and multimedia minister said the government is responsible for taking action when there are violations of the law.
“We know that in this online era, it is almost impossible to control everything. We understand the situation.
“The government will defend media freedom, including on social media, but there are limits,” he told the press here today.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is working to remove copies of the two commercials, with the cooperation of platform providers including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
“The Raya-themed videos with gambling elements are affecting Muslims. Even non-Muslims wouldn’t condone such a thing,” said Saifuddin.
He called on actors to be more discerning when taking jobs, and said the ministry will leave it to police to investigate the two commercials. – Bernama, April 18, 2021
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