The High Court has maintained an order barring the Telegram messaging app from republishing harmful content and directing the shutdown of accounts carrying material capable of undermining public trust in institutions and threatening social stability.
Justice Mahazan Mat Taib granted the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) an Erinford injunction to preserve an ex-parte order made on July 17.
The court also noted that MCMC was appealing against its refusal to order Telegram to block or shut down future accounts that disseminate similar harmful content.
“In the court’s opinion, the appeal will be rendered nugatory if status quo is not maintained,” Mahazan said when explaining why the July 17 order must be preserved.
She also noted that Telegram had failed to substantively comply with the ex-parte court order.
“This demonstrates the defendant’s (Telegram) troubling attitude which the court does not tolerate,” said Mahazan.
Lawyer SN Nair and Wong Guo Jin appeared for MCMC, while Shukor Ahmad and Daniel Bock represented the messaging app.
Earlier, Shukor had sought to delay the ruling, which Mahazan declined to entertain.
On June 19, MCMC announced that it had sued Telegram and two of its channels — Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas — for allegedly spreading harmful content that could erode trust in public institutions and threaten social order.
The two anonymous channels had gained notoriety by publishing whistleblower-style exposés, usually targeting public institutions and enforcement agencies.
Though unofficial, their posts frequently gained traction and triggered public debates.
Telegram has its legal domicile in the British Virgin Islands while its operational headquarters are located in Dubai.
