Turmoil In Nepal Offers Lessons For Malaysia

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Letter to Editor
WHEN Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign last week after days of violent protests, it was not only a story of corruption and discontent.
It was also a cautionary tale of what happens when governments respond to public anger with censorship and heavy-handed control.
The Nepali government’s attempt to block social media to curb dissent only fuelled greater frustration, turning demonstrations into riots and eventually toppling the country’s leadership.
Malaysia should take note.
Over the past week, two developments here at home have raised questions about whether we are walking down a similar path.
First, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil met with TikTok’s management to demand quicker action against fake news and stronger safeguards for young users.
Second, the government won an injunction against the controversial Telegram channels Edisi Siasat and Edisi Khas, forcing the removal of dozens of posts.
Both may have been justified on grounds of safety and public order, but they also reveal a growing reliance on restrictions to manage online content.
The risk is clear: if authorities go too far, censorship can backfire. In Nepal, blocking platforms was seen as a desperate move to silence criticism, which only heightened public anger.
Here in Malaysia, a similar overreach could erode trust in institutions, drive controversial discussions underground, and make rumours harder to track. In the long run, this could weaken rather than strengthen social stability.

Nobody denies the challenges. Fake news, scams, and harmful content are real problems. Parents want their children safe online, and the public wants reliable information.
But there is a difference between targeted, transparent enforcement and broad, opaque censorship. One builds confidence, the other breeds suspicion.
The truth is, platforms like TikTok are not just a social platform. For many Malaysians, it is also a source of income, whether through TikTok Shop or as influencers.
Moves to regulate the platform must therefore be carefully calibrated, as livelihoods are directly and indirectly tied to it.
What Malaysia needs is balance. The government should certainly act against content that threatens public order or endangers lives, but it must also respect the public’s right to know and to debate.

The Nepali crisis shows that censorship is not a substitute for good governance. People protest not just because of what they see online, but because of how they feel about corruption, accountability, and fairness. Silencing them rarely solves the underlying issues.
Malaysia is not Nepal, but the lesson is universal: clamp down too hard on expression, and the backlash will come sooner or later.
Our government must resist the temptation to reach for censorship as the first tool of control. Instead, it should focus on building trust and boosting digital literacy, such as campaigns to educate the public on spotting fake, unverified news.
If we forget this, the price of overreach may be far higher than the problem we are trying to solve. 
Raj Kumar
Puchong
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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