DAP’s Syerleena lodges reports over defamatory TikTok videos

Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid urged MCMC and police to investigate the content creators and send a clear message that defamation and hate speech would not be tolerated.

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP’s Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid has lodged two police reports against the owners of several TikTok accounts for defaming her reputation by calling her a threat to the country and Islam.

Syerleena flagged three TikTok accounts – @nowadd_, @cikguirisdelea and @sayapkiri916 – for making up facts and spreading defamatory statements against her.

She said while she is open to democratic criticism, the posts constituted character assassination and exploited religious and gender-related sentiments.

“It is a systematic attempt to silence me and destroy my credibility as a Malay-Muslim woman and elected representative.

“One of the videos said I invited Muslims to dine in a (non-halal) Chinese kopitiam, but I never said that.

“Nevertheless, I will continue my duty as an MP and will not allow this to distract me from speaking out for my constituents and Malaysians,” she said at a press conference in the Parliament.

Syerleena also urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and police to investigate the content creators and send a clear message that defamation and hate speech would not be tolerated.

She also said TikTok should not allow content that clearly breached its regulations to go unregulated.

Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, who was present at the press conference, also condemned the videos for degrading Syerleena’s dignity as a Malay-Muslim MP in DAP.

He said the police reports were not lodged to silence the people, but to emphasise that there is a boundary between criticism and hate speech.

“In my view, those videos have gone overboard. This is one of the challenges faced by a Malay-Muslim woman MP in DAP.

“We have lodged police reports for similar cases before, but not much action has been taken. I hope this time the authorities can take stern action against the perpetrators,” he added.