FMT is being investigated over its April Fool's prank article which is deemed to be obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive.
PETALING JAYA: This is not a prank! The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has started an investigation into FMT’s April Fool’s prank which was published yesterday.
Just hours after the publication of the prank article yesterday, the MCMC had sent an e-mail to FMT editor-in-chief K Kabilan, requesting his presence at the MCMC’s investigation unit in Kuala Lumpur to assist in its investigation.
The MCMC is investigating the FMT article under Section 233 of the MCMC Act for “improper use of network facilities or network service, etc” to “make, create or solicit; and initiate the transmission of, any comment, request, suggestion or other communication which is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”.
An offence under this section brings about a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or a jail term not exceeding one year, or both.
“They [MCMC] were very quick in sending the e-mail to us, asking for my presence to assist in their investigation. They wanted me to go over yesterday itself but since I had prior engagements, we have now fixed it for tomorrow,” said Kabilan.
“I don’t know how our April Fool’s prank can be termed as obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive. Anyone who had read the article in full would have realised the humourous nature of the article.
“We can’t help it if people can’t be funny or refuse to accept humour… maybe we had bruised someone’s ego big time by making him or her a fool.
“Or maybe someone is upset that we had usurped his powers in announcing the dissolution of the Parliament, even though it was only meant in a light-hearted, humourous way,” he said.
He added that FMT would assist the MCMC in its investigation into the April Fool’s prank
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