PETALING JAYA: Leading Internet search engine Google has received an official complaint from Malaysia and a request to remove clips of the controversial anti-Islam film The Innocence of Muslims from its YouTube site.
Google Malaysia communications and public affairs head Zeffri Yusof said they received the official request from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and that both parties were discussing the next course of action.
"We have clear community guidelines, and when videos breach those rules, we remove them. In addition, where we have launched YouTube locally and we are notified that a video is illegal in that country, we will restrict access to it after a thorough review,” he said.
Zeffri added, however, that the regulatory body had to cite the relevant laws or bylaws which were breached when making its complaint.
MCMC chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi confirmed that the commission had lodged an official complaint with Google.
“We have already communicated with Google, asking them to take the clips down,” he said.
Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim urged YouTube not to be “oblivious” to the tumult in the Islamic world.
“Removing (The Innocence of Muslims) should be the duty of YouTube itself.
“Under the circumstances, MCMC is legally bound to take adaptive and precautionary steps so that accessibility to the relevant YouTube content is barred,” he told The Star.
“Given the explosive commotion and repercussions at hand, as is the case in the Middle East, we have to, as an Islamic nation, play a preventive role while urging Muslims in the country to remain calm,” he added.