Staff forced to ‘like’ and ‘follow’ leaders? Multimedia ministry to clarify

 

Questions have been raised whether the ministry had the right to order its employees to ‘follow’ certain accounts as the workers’ profile is his or her own personal property.

PETALING JAYA: The communications and multimedia ministry is to release a statement soon on claims that all staff have been instructed to “like” and “follow” a number of social media pages belonging to leaders in the ministry.

In social media posts that went viral recently, it was alleged that the staff had been told to engage with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts belonging to minister Saifuddin Abdullah, deputy minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin and secretary-general Mohammad Mentek.

When FMT reached out for comment, a spokesperson for the ministry said they will respond shortly.

These alleged orders to the staff have received a backlash online, with some questioning whether the ministry had the right to order its employees to “follow” certain accounts as a worker’s profile was his or her own property.

Part of the instructions given to staff to ‘like’ and ‘follow’ certain accounts.

According to the viral posts, division directors had been told to monitor their staff’s profiles to ensure they had liked or were following the relevant pages.

It was also alleged that staff had been instructed to open profiles if they did not already have them.

A source at an agency under the ministry confirmed that a circular relating to the social media presence of the ministry’s leaders was issued last month. - FMT