KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has directed social media platforms to remove audio and video content alleging corruption involving state assemblymen related to a mineral project procurement in Sabah.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said this followed requests from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which are investigating the case.

“PDRM is handling a death threat case. They requested MCMC’s assistance because there are videos that could compromise the investigation. They asked MCMC to take them down.

“MACC also issued a statement requesting that the content be removed to avoid disrupting their investigation. However, MCMC is not involved in the investigation itself; we were only asked to take down the content,“ he told reporters after attending a Special Committee Meeting on Resolving Congestion at the Johor Causeway (Meeting No. 2/2024) at Bukit Aman here today.

A news portal recently reported on several video recordings allegedly showing state assemblymen receiving hundreds of thousands of ringgit to support a company’s application for a project in the state.

The discussions in the videos involve a businessman who reportedly requested politicians, including senior officials, to return the money after the licence for the project was revoked. However, the businessman’s face is not visible in the recordings.

Yesterday, MACC said it had summoned five state assemblymen for questioning regarding allegations of corruption linked to the mineral project procurement in Sabah.

On Nov 13, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed that police were investigating death threats received by a whistleblower, who claimed to have eight videos related to the incident.