Internet users know how the past never really leaves us… especially if you don’t delete your tweets!
The state of emergency announcement on 11th January generated backlash from netizens. This prompted the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to post a reminder on Twitter about being polite and courteous when sharing views.
MCMC emphasised that they will be monitoring platforms for slanderous content involving royalty, religion and race. Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 penalises offenders. The penalty is either a RM50,000 fine, a one-year jail term or both.
In response, some netizens dug up several old tweets from 2013 and 2014 from MCMC’s twitter account at @SKMM_MCMC. The tweets had multiple racial slurs and contained vulgarity.
The tweets apparently belonged to the previous user of the account as they are personal rants. They also have nothing to do with MCMC’s usual content.
Everyone knows MCMC unprofessionally bought over a rempit's account, and NOT because of "diceroboh".
So, MCMC, which has been asking rakyat not to spread fake news, is now spreading fake news.
Oh & btw, Sec 233 of the Comms Act makes it an offence to spread fake news. https://t.co/BR16RT1T0t
— Lim Wei Jiet (@lim_weijiet) January 12, 2021
MCMC official: also MCMC official: pic.twitter.com/n3U94bwg4R
— 𝕯e𝖉𝖉𝖞licious 𓆣𓋹𓀁𓀛𓁜𓁤𓀁𓁜𓇌 (@Daddylishes) January 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/mohanziq/status/1348966755499012096
The previous user of the account, @NazruiHakim explained that he had sold his old account after reaching over 50k followers. At the time, he had no idea the account would soon become the official twitter account for MCMC. He also added that the thought of deleting his old tweets had not crossed his mind.
Hi.
Acc tu aku jual time aku form 3/4. When it was 50k followers. Aku tak delete tweet lama, sbb tk terlintas dlm fikiran.
Tyha. Dia dh jadi ex aku. Jgn tanya kenapa! Hzjsjsjsjs
Aku jual acc tu dkt @/SaidOsem. So aku tak tahu after that acc tu dh jadi official MCMC punya twtr.
— ۟ (@NazruiHakim) January 12, 2021
According to reports, MCMC’s official tweets only began in 2015. To protect the account, MCMC’s official Twitter was deleted and a statement was released.
The statement claimed that the account had been hacked and people should not believe content not released by MCMC themselves. Nothing was said about the original owner of the account or how the tweets were from earlier years.
Maybe we should let the past stay buried, for both parties, and consider this a learning point for all.
