24/09/2025

WEDNESDAY | SEPT 24, 2025

5

Association urges stronger govt action against Meta

Civil servants to be rewarded for reporting corruption PUTRAJAYA: A total of 43 civil servants from five government departments and agencies nationwide will receive recognition and rewards for lodging complaints with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding the giving or receiving of bribes. MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said all recipients have undergone integrity screening through the MACC Integrity Screening System and are eligible to receive the approved rewards totalling RM46,000. “Statistics from 2012 to 2024 show that 550 recipients have been recognised, with rewards worth RM1.14 million. “During that period, police topped the list with 386 recipients, followed by the Immigration Department with 48, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency with 25, and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry with 15, while the rest involved other government agencies.” Earlier, Ahmad Khusairi chaired the 14th Recognition Evaluation Panel Meeting for Civil Servants Reporting the Giving or Receiving of Bribes (Series 14/1/2025) at the MACC headquarters here. According to him, the meeting was held to recognise civil servants who demonstrated high integrity by reporting corrupt activities while carrying out their entrusted duties. “This recognition not only reflects appreciation for the integrity of civil servants, but also serves as encouragement and an example for others,” he said. On Aug 19, 2010, the Special Cabinet Committee on Government Management Integrity agreed that recognition should be given to civil servants who report the giving or receiving of bribes. Following that, the chief secretary to the government issued a circular dated May 11, 2011 on the Guidelines for Civil Servants Reporting the Giving or Receiving of Bribes, which came into effect on June 1, 2011. – Bernama Duo charged with trafficking 100kg methamphetamine were charged at the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday with trafficking over 100kg of methamphetamine. Fathi Fikri A’shaari and Ahmad Syakir Khalid, both aged 36, indicated their understanding of the charges after they were read before magistrate Amira Abd Aziz. No plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court. The businessmen are jointly charged with trafficking 103.32kg of the illegal substance at a house in Jalan Tasik Damai, Taman Tasik Impian in Sungai Besi at 11.50am on Sept 10. They are charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. If not sentenced to death, the accused shall also be liable to a minimum of 15 strokes of the cane. The court set Dec 22 for case mention to allow for the submission of the chemist’s report. Bail was denied for both accused. DPP Nurul Farhanah Arul Hisham appeared for the prosecution while Fathi Fikri and Ahmad Syakir were represented by counsels Mohd Redzuan Mohamed Yusoff and Shah Rizal Abdul Manan, respectively. – Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Two men

o ‘Widespread exploitation of services by criminal syndicates involved in cybercrime warrants firm steps’

messenger apps. Telegram, due to its anonymity, poses significant challenges in monitoring and enforcement,” he said. He added that despite stricter registration processes on platforms, such as requiring verifiable email addresses, users find ways to remain anonymous, allowing illicit content to flourish. However, he acknowledged that Meta has made some improvements. Siraj stressed that enforcement should not rest solely with regulatory bodies, such as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as monitoring thousands of posts daily is unrealistic. “We cannot just blame MCMC. They are people too. Users must play a role. If you see harmful content, report it. Make it a culture,” he said, adding that community reporting could significantly enhance content moderation. He noted that such issues are not unique to Malaysia as online gambling and scams are global issues. “Even in countries such as Indonesia and China, where online gambling is strictly illegal, syndicates still target users. Malaysia often becomes a base for these operations, especially for call centres targeting foreign users. “That is why it is crucial for local governments to pressure global platforms such as Meta to comply with domestic laws. If Malaysia sets a precedent, other countries might follow. “Our goal is simple. We want a healthy, safe digital environment for Malaysians. But it takes effort from everyone, the government, the platforms, the media and most importantly, the users,” he said. On Monday, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil expressed concern over Meta’s failure to fully remove online gambling and scam content from its platforms, particularly on Facebook. He warned that if the company does not improve its content moderation, the government may consider taking further action. He said as of Friday, the Communications Ministry has submitted 168,774 takedown requests to Meta, representing 59% of all social media takedown requests. “Of these, 120,127 were related to online gambling, but only 114,665 were removed. For scams, 36,918 of 37,722 pieces of content were taken down, leaving some illegal content still visible.” Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department showed that e-commerce fraud on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp from 2023 to August resulted in losses exceeding RM248 million.

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

He added that Meta, which holds a Content Applications Service Provider licence under Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, is legally obliged to ensure its platforms comply with local laws. He said the government must enforce this strictly, especially given Meta’s substantial influence and user base across multiple generations and demographics in Malaysia. “According to MCCA research, different Meta platforms are favoured by different age groups. Millennials gravitate towards Facebook, Gen Z prefers Instagram, while WhatsApp remains the dominant messaging app across all generations. “Threads, Meta’s X-like platform, has also emerged as a space in which harmful or suggestive content, such as provocative posts designed to lure users, is beginning to mirror the so-called dark side of X. “Our recent study in Negeri Sembilan secondary schools found TikTok and Instagram to be the dominant platforms among students while WhatsApp and Telegram lead among

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) has called on the government to take stronger, more decisive action against Meta Platforms Inc for its alleged role in enabling the spread of harmful content, including online gambling, financial scams and cybercrime-related advertisements across all its platforms. Its president Siraj Jalil said this applies to major platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, as the widespread exploitation of Meta’s services by criminal syndicates involved in cybercrime warrants firm action. “This is not only limited to illegal gambling advertisements, but also phishing scams, money mule recruitment, such as renting ATM cards, and unlicensed financial services as MCCA found these activities to be rampant across Meta’s platforms, often slipping past moderation systems.”

Siraj noted that enforcement issues on social media platforms are not unique to Malaysia as online gambling and scams are global issues. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

Trio jailed, fined for storing Malayan tiger carcass KOTA TINGGI: Three men were yesterday sentenced by the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court to seven years’ jail and fined RM250,000 each for storing the carcass of a female Malayan tiger without a special permit. Wildlife and National Parks Department DPP Fatin Hanum Abdul Hadi said the case was the first since amendments to the Act took effect on Feb 1, 2023, and involved public interest as the Malayan tiger is facing extinction. four liver cancer and supports five children. Nazerin, who has kidney disease, said he needs to provide for his wife and four children while Nazrol, also with kidney disease, cited his recent marriage.

Hayda Faridzal said the court considered their health conditions and family responsibilities, but stressed that public interest and the status of the Malayan tiger as a national icon were overriding factors, Bernama reported. “A guilty plea cannot be regarded as an automatic discount, but it is taken into account as it saves time and costs,” she said, before sentencing them to seven years’ jail and a RM250,000 fine each, in default seven years’ jail. The trio were arrested on Sept 16 after authorities, acting on a tip-off, discovered the tiger carcass, believed to have been illegally hunted, in their vehicle during an integrated operation with the Johor wildlife department.

“The Malayan tiger population is estimated at fewer than 150, compared with about 3,000 in the 1950s. The loss of this iconic species would negatively impact the ecosystem, as well as the nation’s identity and sovereignty,” she said. She added that the Malayan tiger, featured on the national coat of arms, also symbolises courage and strength for police, the Armed Forces and Maybank. “Wildlife such as tigers are silent victims that cannot defend themselves against human greed, so severe punishments must be imposed as a deterrent,” she said. During mitigation, Shaheezam, a driver, appealed for leniency as he suffers from stage

Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan handed down the sentence on Md Shaheezam Md Salim, 49, Nazerin Tomiran, 47, and Mohamad Nazrol Tomiran, 28, after they pleaded guilty to the offence committed on Sept 16. The trio were charged with keeping the carcass in the boot of a car at a BHPetrol station in Felda Tenggaroh, Mersing at 6.10am that day. The Malayan tiger is a fully protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. They were charged under Section 70(1) of the Act, punishable under Section 70(2) and read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides a fine of not less than RM250,000 and up to 15 years’ jail.