After TikTok ban, TV Pertiwi's website blocked by MCMC in latest media clampdown

News outlet TV Pertiwi's website has been blocked by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), just two days after restrictions were placed on its TikTok account.

In a statement, TV Pertiwi, which specialises in curent affairs talkshows, slammed the latest restrictions, describing them as a black spot on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government despite its claims of guaranteeing free speech and media freedom.

"TV Pertiwi urges the government, especially the communications and digital minister and MCMC, to explain this action, in addition to specifying the 'offence' committed by this news portal," said Mohd Firdaus Salleh Hudin, the channel's chief operating officer.

Checks show that the URL tvpertiwi.com.my cannot be accessed. Instead, a notice by MCMC informs visitors that the site has been blocked.

As of press time, users of at least two major internet service providers, Unifi and Maxis, have been affected by the block.

On Tuesday, TV Pertiwi said its TikTok account with about 63,000 followers had been permanently banned.

It is understood that the move came after the organisation featured political analyst Ridhuan Tee Abdullah as a panellist on one of its programmes.

Not long after taking over the communications and digital ministry, Fahmi Fadzil announced that TikTok had forged a strategic cooperation with the ministry to remove "provocative and extremist" content.

Critics however said the move was designed to stop the influence of the video platform which played a major role in spreading the campaign message of Perikatan Nasional during last year's general election.

Fahmi also came under fire in June after news portal MalaysiaNow was blocked.

Last month, another current affairs site, UtusanTV, operated by former staff of the now defunct Utusan Melayu media company, was also blocked.

MCMC, the country's internet regulator, has yet to provide any explanation for these blocks.

Fahmi meanwhile has denied giving any instructions to MCMC to block anyone, adding that the agency has the power to do so on its own.