Satellite TV provider Astro was fined by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing a documentary produced by Al Jazeera on the controversial murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2015.
Malaysiakini reported that MCMC served a letter to Measat Broadcast Network Systems Bhd, the operator of Astro, fining the company as its investigations found that the content of the documentary was indecent.
MCMC said the documentary violated Section 211 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 which prohibits content that is “indecent, obscene, false, menacing, or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person”.
The documentary titled Murder in Malaysia aired on Astro on 11 September 2015 as part of Al Jazeera’s Asia Pacific current affairs programme, 101 East. It linked the murder of Altantuya to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who denied the allegation. The documentary’s producer Mary Ann Jolley was subsequently deported from Malaysia.
The report went on to say that Astro was fined RM1,000 for each time the episode was aired, totalling RM4,000. The company is said to have 30 days to appeal against the compound.
In recent times, Al Jazeera has been in the Malaysian government’s crosshairs of late for its 3 July documentary titled Locked up in Malaysia’s Lockdown that investigated the mistreatment of migrant workers in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adding to the broadcaster’s problems are new allegations from the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) that the news outlet did not have the necessary license to film or air its documentary.
It issued a statement on its Facebook page stating that it will be giving its full cooperation to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) in carrying out investigations against Al Jazeera for producing a documentary film without a valid licence from Finas.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said his ministry is checking whether Al Jazeera had violated media accreditation conditions. If it is found to have violated such conditions, Saifuddin said the Information Department will cancel its accreditation. This would mean Al Jazeera’s crew will not be permitted to go anywhere without the media cards issued by the department.
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