Despite their apology, local radio station Era FM is still in hot waters after a video showing its announcers allegedly mocking Hindus went viral. Unfortunately, the Malay radio channel might have to go off the air for the now-infamous video.
According to reports, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has issued a notice of intent to suspend the license of the operator of Era FM. This news comes after the radio station received backlash for a video of its hosts, Ahmad Nabil, Azad Jazmin and Radin Amir Affendy, making fun of the Thaipusam kavadi ritual. In its statement, MCMC said the licensee has 30 days to submit a response before any final decision.
On a related note, MCMC has also summoned Astro’s top management to assist in the investigation. For those unaware, Era FM is owned by Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad and operated under its subsidiary, Astro Radio Sdn Bhd. Investigation papers regarding the video will also be submitted to the Public Prosecutors by today (6th March 2025, Thursday). To date, the authorities have received over 40 reports regarding the video.
Netizens have since reacted to the news, sharing mixed reactions. The majority agreed with the move to potentially suspend the radio channel, saying that it serves as a reminder for local radio stations to abide by the rules and regulations. Others said it’s an apt punishment for the radio hosts for mocking the Hindu religion. On the other hand, some expressed sympathy to the other Era FM radio hosts who might be affected despite not being directly involved with the video.
The three radio hosts have since been taken off the air until further notice. Nabil, Azad and Radin were also summoned to the Bukit Aman police headquarters yesterday (5th March 2025, Wednesday) to provide their statements. It’s also worth noting the notice of intent is presumably just a warning to Era FM’s operator for the video, so the radio station might not go off the air.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think a suspension is the proper punishment for the video?
Sources: Free Malaysia Today, Twitter (1)(2)
