MCMC grills social media personality for posting screenshots without comments

A prominent social media influencer has come under investigation from the government's internet authority over several postings mocking the government, two of which are merely screenshots of media reports.

Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah, better known as Ratu Naga, who is known for her slapstick comments about Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government, was summoned by the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over four issues she raised in her videos posted on various accounts.

They include a clip about a group of ethnic Chinese students singing the Negaraku, her criticism of the Urban Renewal Act (URA), the stand-off at Menara Kuala Lumpur over concession rights and comments by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli on plans to liberalise the gas industry.

Ratu said she had already apologised for a clip in which she gave the impression that a group of students in Perak were singing the national anthem in Chinese, when in fact they were singing the Perak state anthem.

She said upon realising the mistake, she quickly took down the video and apologised.

She said MCMC was aware that the video had been deleted, adding that a copy of it was later widely circulated by someone else.

"If the information we provided was wrong, we must apologise and inform the public, and I have done that. But there are irresponsible people who went on to viral it," said Ratu, who also questioned MCMC if the person who circulated the video would be summoned.

Ratu meanwhile defended her criticism of URA, a new law being pushed by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming despite strong resistance from property owners, especially residents in the Malay enclave of Kampung Sungai Baru in the heart of the capital.

She said the issue is a matter of public interest and is constantly being openly discussed.

She said although Nga had explained the proposed law, there were legitimate arguments on both sides of the divide.

"So what did I do wrong when I defended Kampung Sungai Baru?" she asked in a video she posted under a different TikTok account after her previous account was removed.

"I will not stop defending Kampung Sungai Baru. If those in Umno don't want to defend it, if Johari Ghani doesn't want to defend it, if Khalid Samad doesn't want to defend it, if other Malay leaders don't want to defend it, that's fine, I'm with the people and residents there and will try to defend it no matter what."

On the third issue for which she was questioned by MCMC, Ratu poked fun at Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

She said MCMC took issue with her for merely posting a screenshot of a news report quoting a statement by Menara Kuala Lumpur's current concessionaire, Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd, which accused newly appointed concessionaire Lim Seong Hai Capital Berhad of refusing to absorb the mostly Bumiputera staff at the iconic tower.

"This is so hilarious. You know, I was investigated because I posted a screenshot of a news report without any caption. And they said I was spreading fake news.

"Is it a felony to take a screenshot from a news portal and post it without caption?" she asked.

'Accused of creating disunity'

Ratu, who said she was photographed by officers throughout her session with MCMC, was also questioned over another screenshot she had posted, which referred to a news report quoting Rafizi about plans to open up the natural gas industry.

"I only said, 'We can recognise it if you smell what the rot is cooking'.

"For that status, I was accused of creating disunity."

Since coming to power in 2022, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration has come down hard on social media posts critical of his coalition  government with frequent requests to platforms such as X, YouTube and Facebook to delete content.

Statistics released by TikTok placed the Malaysian government at the top of a list of requests for content removal during the second half of 2023.

The government has also blocked blogs and news sites for news reports not complimentary to ruling politicians. They included MalaysiaNow, which was blocked for 48 hours.  

Restrictions on journalists and media outlets critical of the government led to Malaysia taking a record dip in the annual World Press Freedom Index, dropping to the 107th spot last year from the previous 73rd spot.