KUALA LUMPUR (ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES) – Malaysia’s Communications Minister has called out Meta Platforms for its removal of Facebook posts by local media concerning Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent meeting with a Hamas leader.
The Malaysian Prime Minister met with senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar on May 14, asserting afterward that while he maintains positive relations with Hamas political figures, he is not involved in the group’s military activities.
As a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, Malaysia has formally requested an explanation from Meta regarding the removal of posts from two media organisations covering the Prime Minister’s meeting, along with the closure of a third outlet’s Facebook account focused on Palestinian issues.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, also serving as the government spokesperson, expressed strong condemnation of Meta’s actions during a regular briefing.
He stated, “I condemn Meta’s actions of removing posts, especially since they were in relation to the Prime Minister’s official visit to Qatar,” highlighting concerns over the freedom of media outlets in utilising the platform.
Meta has yet to respond to Malaysia’s request for comment. In October of the previous year, Minister Fahmi had warned of potential measures against Meta and other social media platforms if they were found to be blocking pro-Palestinian content.
Malaysia has consistently advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Meta, however, designates Hamas, the governing Palestinian Islamist movement in Gaza, as a “dangerous organisation,” leading to the ban on content praising the group. The company employs a combination of automated detection and human review to manage and label graphic visuals on its platform.
