KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) opens an investigation against the private television channel Awesome TV for its news report claiming that the government will sack over 800,000 civil servants.

In a statement today, MCMC said Awesome TV would be investigated under Section 206 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for failure to comply with the conditions of their licence

“When the investigation papers are completed, they will be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further decisions.

“If convicted, the offender can be punished as provided under Section 242 which is a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two (2) years or both,” said the statement.

The management of Awesome TV was summoned by officials from MCMC at their headquarters yesterday.

Previously, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that the government denied allegations contained in Awesome TV’s news programme Berita 757 that there are “observers” who have proposed that the number of civil servants be reduced.

The television channel, which broadcasts through free TV MYTV and satellite broadcaster Astro, was also found to have published news content that violated regulations six times, Fahmi said, including slander against the current government.

Prior to the recent general elections (GE15), Awesome TV had come under fire for its newscasters taking a racial tone when exhorting Malay voters to turn out in droves during Polling Day or risk being overrun by ethnic Chinese voters.

In a statement, it said that if Malaysians, especially the Bumiputera, do not vote, then the risk of a government that does not take care of their welfare getting elected “is obvious”.

It was also criticised in May last year for using racial tone with its reporting of Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd and Sapura Energy Bhd.

It had then accused then Securities Commission (SC) executive chairman Datuk Syed Zaid Jaafar Albar of failing to help Bumiputera companies out of financial troubles, and initially falsely labelling the son of former Umno secretary-general as a non-Malay.