TikTok’s top management will appear at Malaysia’s federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman on Thursday, September 4, following concerns over the platform’s handling of false information.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the platform, owned by China’s ByteDance, has been slow to respond to police requests for assistance, including a recent case where a user falsely claimed to be a pathologist linked to a high-profile investigation into the death of a Malaysian teenager.
Fahmi emphasised the severity of the delays, saying he had to personally contact TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to urge cooperation.
He was quoted as saying,
“TikTok is very slow in providing information... to the point that I have to call TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to tell him, 'this is a crime that is being committed and your organization is very slow'. We can't allow such an attitude.”
The upcoming meeting will involve the Inspector-General of Police and officials from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
TikTok will be questioned not only about the spread of false news but also about complaints related to TikTok Shop, where users have reportedly received items that did not match their orders.
Fahmi highlighted that this engagement marks the first of a series of dialogues the Malaysian government plans with major social media platforms to ensure compliance with local law.
“We have found many issues, especially in the spread of fake news, where TikTok took too long to cooperate with the police. In the recent case of a fake doctor or surgeon, TikTok delayed providing information to the police until I had to contact the CEO personally.”
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, is also expected to be summoned to discuss “forbidden” content, including material linked to pedophilia and the circulation of student gangs.
Fahmi noted,
“We found many problems, such as pedophilia and student gangs, spreading through WhatsApp and Facebook.”
Malaysia has recently intensified scrutiny of social media platforms due to a sharp rise in malicious content.
Authorities consider online gambling, fraud, child exploitation, cyberbullying, and content targeting race, religion, or the monarchy as high-risk areas that platforms must actively manage.
Can Social Media Platforms Operate Without Clear Local Oversight
Coinlive views this move as a critical moment in the global debate over social media accountability.
TikTok’s slow cooperation with Malaysian authorities raises questions about how international platforms handle urgent local investigations and sensitive content.
While TikTok has a massive user base, incidents like false confessions or mismatched product deliveries expose operational gaps that could threaten trust and compliance.
The unfolding scrutiny suggests platforms must rethink their local engagement strategies to survive in markets where law enforcement expects rapid, transparent action.
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