The government has blocked access to the website UtusanTV.com to at least some internet users in Malaysia.
Attempts to access the website would be redirected to a standard government notice stating “this website is not available in Malaysia as it violates the national law”.
It does not elaborate on the nature of the alleged violation, and a button that purportedly links to further information when clicked does not work.
UtusanTV.com is a spinoff from Utusan Malaysia’s lifestyle section.
It was set up by its former staff after its parent company Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad was closed in 2019 due to financial troubles.
The current Utusan Malaysia newspaper was relaunched in 2020 under new management, and is not affiliated with UtusanTV.com.
Malaysiakini has contacted UtusanTV editor-in-chief Zulkefli Hamzah on the blockage but he has declined to comment.
It is understood the publication is in contact with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Malaysiakini has also contacted the MCMC and is awaiting a response.
‘Should provide prior warning’
In a statement, journalist group Gerakan Media Merdeka said the MCMC must have a clear mechanism for blocking online content, especially when news portals are involved.
“The mechanism should also include to provide prior notice or warning to the targeted media, before a block is enforced.
“Presently, in the two reported cases, the respective media organisations were not formally informed of the imposed restricted access, nor were they given an official reason for the block.
“It is quite puzzling when MCMC instead took actions to ‘investigate’ complaints lodged by managements of the media organisations, when there should have been a clear reason for the blocks, and there are no other authorities with power to take such actions,” it said. - Mkini
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