Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has accused Meta of “cowardice” after the social media company removed his Facebook post on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Malaysia is a supporter of the Palestinian cause, and Anwar has repeatedly condemned Israel’s war on Gaza and its actions in the occupied West Bank.
A similar post published on Anwar’s Instagram account was also removed by Meta, which owns the photo and video-sharing social media application.
“Let this serve as a clear and unequivocal message to Meta: cease this display of cowardice and stop acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime,” Anwar was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama on Thursday.
The removal of the posts was accompanied by the caption, “Dangerous individuals and organisations.”
Anwar, who met Haniyeh in Qatar in May, has said he has good relations with the Hamas political leadership but no links on a military level.
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Do you believe social media companies like Meta have the right to censor world leaders, and why or why not?
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How does the removal of Anwar Ibrahim's post impact your view on the freedom of speech in the digital age?
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Considering Anwar's stance and Meta's action, where should we draw the line between preventing hate speech and preserving political discourse?
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What role do you think social media platforms should play in international political conflicts?
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If you were in charge of Meta, how would you have handled Anwar's post, and why?