MCMC and PDRM Set Their Sights On The Viral Online Casino Raya Advert

Even though we have just entered the fourth day of Ramadan today, you may have begun to hear or see Hari Raya Aidilfitri promotions and advertisement on various platforms. Somehow, an online casino company decided to join in as well by coming out with a full-blown video advert for Hari Raya.

Produced by GDBet333 which primarily targets users from Malaysia and Singapore, the 2-minutes advert not only featured local actors and actresses but also has its own Raya song in Bahasa Malaysia. Apart from disregarding the fact that online gambling is technically illegal in Malaysia, the advert is also rather insensitive in nature.

This is because it positions gambling as a method to gain extra money for Hari Raya. As gambling is prohibited in Islam and Aidilfitri is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims, the advert has certainly gone out of the line.

Not long after the advert made its way online earlier this week,  hundreds of netizens have since expressed their dissatisfaction with it. This eventually caught the attention of Malaysian authorities who have now sprung into action.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today stated that it has requested Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to take down the advert. The request is being done on the basis that the video does not meet the terms and conditions as well as the community standards of respective platforms.

It is not known whether any of the three platforms have responded to MCMC’s request, the original video that was posted on YouTube has since been set to private although it has been re-uploaded and shared by netizens. On a related note, Gbet333’s website can still be accessed from Malaysia for the time being despite the actions by MCMC.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani has also revealed that a police report has been made in regards to the advert. He further stated that PDRM will be taking statements from the producers, actors, and actresses that were involved in the production of the advert.

With the assistance of MCMC, the case will be investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code which covers intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace. Additionally, the investigation will also include Section 4(1)(g) Common Gaming Houses Act that revolves around promoting a gambling venue.

It is going to be interesting to see how Malaysian authorities will be addressing this matter. Despite being illegal, the current provision in our laws have been seen as outdated and unable to handle online gambling. The insensitive nature of the advert may also lead to even bigger consequences to the people behind it.

MCMC Blocks Access To Sugarbook (UPDATED)

UPDATE (11:37 PM): Sugarbook has responded to the ban by MCMC but not in a way that you might have expected. Read more for details.

ORIGINAL STORY (9:12 PM):

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has blocked the controversial dating platform, Sugarbook. The action took place just a day after it was revealed that the platform is already under investigation by the commission.

As per any other sites that have been blocked by MCMC out there, users would be redirected to the commission’s notice page if they tried to visit Sugarbook’s official website. It also contained a link that would bring users to another page which states that the access to Sugarbook has been prohibited for breaching Section 233 of Communication and Multimedia Act 1998.

This particular section of the act generally covers improper use of network facilities or services and carries a maximum fine of RM 50,000 or/and 1-year prison term. While MCMC has released a statement earlier today confirming its joint investigation with PDRM, the commission has yet to provide any official details regarding the block on Sugarbook as well as other possible legal actions.

Created in 2017 by local technopreneur Darren Chan, Sugarbook which has “Where Romance Meets Finance” as its tagline, operated not only in Malaysia but also in Singapore, and the Philippines. The platform first came under mass scrutiny in late 2019 after its advertisements which were deemed as lewd and suggestive managed to slip through the approval process and were displayed on gigantic electronic billboards in Bangsar as well as Bukit Kiara.

Despite some calls by members of the public and politicians to ban Sugarbook back then, things cooled off shortly after the initial hoo-ha. The platform then went under the limelight again earlier this month after it released an infographic that ranks local colleges according to the number of sugar babies that they have.

Looks like authorities finally had enough but it remains to be seen whether they will be able to stop Sugarbook on its track this time around.

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UPDATE (11:37 PM):

While Sugarbook didn’t publicly respond to the ban by MCMC and remained relatively quiet on Facebook and Twitter, the dating platform has swiftly e-mailed its members to address the move.

In addition to acknowledging the ban, the platform has also provided several methods on how to circumvent it, as shown in the screenshot of the said e-mail that was sent over by our tipster:

The closing words of the e-mail also seems to hint that Sugarbook is planning to provide more updates regarding its predicament with the Malaysian authorities. All in all, it is likely that this is not yet the end of the road for Sugarbook.