Meta investigating removal of PM Anwar's posts with Hamas leader

Meta is reportedly investigating the removal of prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's posts regarding the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail. 

According to communications minister Fahmi Fadzil, a Meta representative sent him a text message at 3.30pm on Thursday (1 August) to inform him of the matter, reported The Star. 

Fahmi reportedly said that Meta was confused about why it happened and provided no further explanation. 

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He added that the government will give them time to investigate without a deadline and will continue communications with Meta. A press statement will also be issued if there are any developments, Fahmi reportedly said. 

The minister also reportedly said that he sees a trend with the removal of social media posts related to Hamas and Haniyeh's death also happened to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

He reportedly added that the government wants to know what action Meta will take to prevent this from happening again in the future. 

Yesterday, prime minister Anwar and the Malaysia Prime Minister's Office (PMO) called out Meta for taking down his Instagram posts. 

In a statement on Facebook, the prime minister said that it makes no sense when a post honouring a "fighter" who worked to liberate his country from "tyranny and suffering is considered dangerous". 

The prime minister added a warning for Meta, telling it to not be a "pacifier and a tool of Israel's tyrannical Zionist regime". 

In the screenshots attached to the statement, it revealed that Meta removed Anwar's posts because he had "shared or sent symbols, praise or support of people and organisations that Meta defines as dangerous, or followed them."

Similarly, the PMO released a statement on X saying that it "condemned the actions of the Instagram platform provider Meta, which took down the post of prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's meeting with the leader of Hamas in Doha, Qatar last May." 

It added that Meta's action "clearly shows discrimination against the situation in Palestine and the country's leaders. Therefore, we demand an explanation and urge Meta to apologise." 

Photo courtesy Anwar Ibrahim, Facebook. 

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