Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration has vowed to clamp down on provocative posts touching on race and religion since taking power last November.
A Meta sign outside the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, U.S. November 9, 2022. Photo: REUTERS
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said in a statement that a significant amount of undesirable content related to race, copyright, religion, defamation, impersonation, online gambling and deceptive advertising has recently appeared on Facebook's platform.
They said Meta had failed to take adequate action despite repeated requests and that legal action was needed to promote cybersecurity accountability and protect consumers.
The act could be considered an offence under Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the commission said in an emailed statement on Saturday.
The law also charges Meta officials with "knowingly providing means and support for criminal activities" if they fail to act promptly.
Race and religion are highly regarded issues in Malaysia, which has a Muslim Malay majority alongside significant Chinese and Indian minorities.
Commenting on the country's revered royal family is also a sensitive issue and negative remarks towards them can be prosecuted under sedition laws.
Facebook is Malaysia's largest social media platform, with an estimated 60% of the country's 33 million people having registered accounts.
Mai Anh (according to Reuters)
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