KUALA LUMPUR: Meta Platforms Inc (Meta) removing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s posts on the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday has been deemed an act of double standards.

Dr. Mazlan Ali, an Associate Professor at the Perdana Centre, Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said Meta’s assessment of the posts indicates that the social media service provider is biased towards the situation in Palestine and its leaders.

“The guidelines set by Meta are based on a Western interpretation that is pro-Israel, where they view Hamas as a terrorist organisation, which is different from our country’s view of the movement as fighting for their independence and homeland.

“This interpretation (by Meta) is one-sided and is considered biased and unfair because Meta should treat various geopolitical viewpoints equally since their platform is used globally.

“They should not define from their own perspective only and should consider all viewpoints,” he told Bernama.

Mazlan added that Meta should also respect the statements issued by the Prime Minister as they represent the official views of a sovereign government and country.

“Meta needs to explain its action because the Prime Minister is not an ordinary individual but is recognised as a leader of the Islamic world.

“Meta must clarify whether the removal of the post is associated with extremist support because if true, it can be considered a very negative perception and an attempt to tarnish Malaysia’s name,” he said.