Bangi MP stands up to onslaught of 'defamation' on social media

Bangi MP stands up to onslaught of 'defamation' on social media


Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan has taken it upon himself to confront social media users who have posted what he believes are defamatory statements about himself.

On Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and TikTok, the first-time DAP MP has left comments under posts that he believes are defaming him.

In the comments, he denounces the posts and threatens legal action against those who spread the statements.

The theme of the posts and videos circulating about Syahredzan mainly attacks him for being a “traitor” towards his race and religion, by being a DAP MP.

This includes a post he made stating he voted on a bill on renewable energy, which was reposted to state that he had “betrayed Malays”.

The post was deleted, along with other posts, following his threat to take legal action.

“In the past few days, supporters of PAS/Perikatan Nasional have been deleting, retracting, and apologising for defamatory posts against me.

“I will not hesitate to take legal action against those who refuse to do so,” said Syahredzan, who is also a lawyer.

“It’s time for the defamation to stop. It has been happening before the general election campaign, during the campaign, and now, six months after I was elected!” he said on Twitter.

He also showed how on TikTok, his comments stating that he has been defamed have been removed by the alleged “cybertrooper” and the “defamatory” video was also removed.

The video which was deleted was shared with the PAS party anthem.

He also noted that the Bangi division of the Islamic party had during the election campaign wrongly claimed he had gone to mosques to “poison” the minds of congregants.

Malaysiakini’s checks on TikTok found dozens of videos attacking Syahredzan on the basis of his religion and ethnicity.

For example, those posted during the general election campaign accused him of insulting Muslim prophets and continue to circulate.

Some of the videos were posted by accounts claiming to represent PAS outfits, but it is unclear if they are official accounts.

PAS is among the party with the most energetic TikTok general election campaign.

Videos posted by one of its most followed official accounts, belonging to its youth wing, are viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

Some political watchers have attributed its energetic TikTok campaigns as a key factor for winning over youth votes in many parts of Peninsular Malaysia in GE15.

In 2022, those aged 19 to 25 made up 35.49 percent of TikTok users in Malaysia, followed by those aged 26 to 32, making up 29 percent.