KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 ― Communications and Multimedia minister Gobind Singh Deo said today he is aware of the termination of Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah's Twitter account, ostensibly due to toxic comments she received on the social media platform.
He said an official statement will be issued today after he has been fully briefed on the matter.
“I was informed of the matter this morning. I have not looked into the matter in detail.
“I will ask for a full report when I return to the office after this, and then we will decide. We will look first, and see first,” Harian Metro quoted him as saying when met at the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad office.
He was there for a visit and to show support for a Berita Harian (BH) reporter who received death threats following an expose he wrote which was published by the Malay daily a few days ago.
This comes amid a Twitter campaign launched by Malaysians in a bid to persuade the Raja Permaisuri Agong to reactivate her account.
Tunku Azizah’s account is believed to have been deactivated on Tuesday prompting Malaysians to quickly begin sharing the #AmpunTuanku hashtag in an apparent bid to convince the Raja Permaisuri Agong to change her mind.
She is believed to have come under unprovoked attack over her tweets promoting optimism, positivity and good relations prior to the deactivation of her @cheminahsayang account.
During the Merdeka Day parade, she was also criticised on Twitter for taking photographs of the event, which she later explained was done on the instructions of her husband, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
At a time of increasing racial polarisation and negativity, Tunku Azizah and Al-Sultan Abdullah have been beacons of national hope and unity.
After her coronation, Tunku Azizah spoke in defence of the country’s multiracial and multicultural diversity by pointing out that she is of mixed descent and is part Chinese.
During recent celebrations, the Agong also spoke out along with fellow Malay Rulers about the dangers of polarisation and extreme politics in the country.
