Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has called for action against individuals who fan the flames of racial following the fiasco involving former journalist Rex Tan.
Fahmi warned that the spread of false news or content involving race, religion or royalty that breached Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act must be investigated.
He was referring to a viral video uploaded in relation to Tan, who was arrested under the Sedition Act over a question he posed to British politician George Galloway at a public forum on Palestine last week.
Fahmi said a review of the video found that its content had been misleadingly presented, including the use of words that did not reflect Tan’s actual question.
Fahmi reminded the public not to overstep boundaries, including threatening Tan’s family members or disclosing their personal information.
“Doxxing is a criminal offence under Section 507 of the Penal Code,” he was quoted by BuletinTV3 as saying.
He also said the matter had been referred to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for further action.
On Sunday, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail urged the public to refrain from threatening Tan’s family members.
He said legal processes were already under way, and public overreaction would not benefit anyone.
Tan, who resigned as a reporter with FMT, was arrested on Friday. He was released on police bail on Saturday after having his statement recorded.
Tan’s question and Galloway’s response led to a backlash online, with accusations that the question contained racial overtones.
