KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18): The Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has been instructed to review its standard operating procedures so that more proactive action can be taken against those who upload content that is insulting to religion, race, and the rulers on social media.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he was made to understand that the matter is currently being referred by MCMC to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“This is to enable a clearer interpretation under the existing legislation where more decisive and swift action without compromise can be taken against those who made insult against Islam and other religions,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.

Annuar said apart from that, MCMC and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), through the main committee meeting, expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in fighting crime and protecting internet users in the country.

“Through this, the process of strengthening interoperability with the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre under PDRM has also been initiated to facilitate coordination in identifying content that could threaten public order,” he said.

Answering a supplementary question from Wan Hassan who wanted to know whether the lack of manpower had caused the lack of monitoring of such content on social media, Annuar said both issues are not related.

“It is a matter of how social media is handled, for example, by service providers based abroad and those who have the rights to take down insulting posts.

“In the meantime, we are subject to certain legal processes because of the violation, mostly when it conflicts with any provision under the Penal Code or the Sedition Act, then the investigation process and other due processes need to be done, so these processes usually take a long time,” he said.

On a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Selangor) who wanted to know whether the government is ready to seriously consider establishing the National Harmony Act, Annuar said the new law is not an answer to the issue of people’s harmony.

On the issue of harmony, he explained that continuous advocacy and efforts to encourage people to adopt attitudes and values appropriate to a country of religious diversity and customs are more important.

“This culture is firmly ingrained in the country, our next step is to continuously apply and strengthen the values of mutual respect for diversity and not to raise racial issues, touch on questions of the position of the rulers, religion and so on,” he said.

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