By Sabiu Abdullahi
In a swift reversal, tech giant Meta has apologised and restored social media posts by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The move comes after Anwar’s office condemned Meta’s initial removal of the posts as “a blatant suppression of free expression”.
Meta attributed the removal to “an operational error” and claimed the posts were taken down due to association with “dangerous individuals and organisations”.
However, the company has since reapplied a “newsworthy” label to the content, allowing it to be reinstated on Facebook and Instagram.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between social media platforms and political leaders over censorship and free speech.
Anwar had previously accused Meta of “cowardice” for removing his posts, which included a video offering condolences to a Hamas official.
Malaysia’s ties with Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by several countries, have been a point of contention. Anwar has defended his country’s links with the group’s political win.