This article outlines, in chronological order, the various controversies, criticisms and allegations involving or surrounding Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), a broadcasting department of the Malaysian Government.
It includes arguments over political bias and impartiality, editorial mistakes and disputed broadcasts, misconduct by staffs, and wider institutional failings. The article also covers RTM responses to these controversies, including internal investigations, public apologies, and external scrutiny.
1980s
1982: Coverage of Prophet Muhammad's birthday In February 1982, RTM's Sabah branch was criticised for its refusal to provide news coverage of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday celebrations in one of the state's districts. This prompted Mohamed Noor Mansor, the then-Sabah Financial Planning and Development Minister said that the broadcaster "had unintentionally refused to cover the event was tantamount to showing gross disrespect to Islam".
1982: Sex scandal allegations In March 1982, RTM embroiled in alleged sex scandal involving a female artistes which were asked to have sexual affair with some producers in an exchange for appearances on RTM programmes. Afterwards, several artistes, including Nora Shamsuddin and Sahara Yaacob has called out to share about their experiences on the matter. The Ministry of Information in its press release said the two other singers Maria Kamal and Aizam Ibrahim have denied allegations in sexual propositioning by RTM producers that they "had apparently made to the press earlier". Following the scandal, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI; now Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or MACC) have seized thousands of documents and payment vouchers after the complaints made against the RTM producers who were misappropriate the money belongs to the artistes. In May, the then-Deputy Information Minister, Rahmah Othman confirmed that the police have completed investigation on the sex scandal allegations inside RTM while pointed that it "won't hesitate to take immediate action to anyone who were proven to be involved".
1985: Tekaria quiz answer controversy Tekaria, a game show program aired on TV1, one of two RTM's flagship channels, sparked a controversy when one of its contestant, Fahmi Kassim, a clerk, mistakenly answered the Strait of Malacca as "the longest straits in the world" instead of Tartar Straits during the broadcast of 19 June 1985 episode, which was pre-recorded and is a final of 13 episode. The controversy led to the unusual move by RTM to clarify the matter on its news broadcast on 4 July.
In his letter sent to the New Straits Times editor, Fahmi said the Guinness Book of Records listed the Tartar Straits is the world's longest strait at about 800 kilometres and "marginally longer" than the Straits of Malacca. The 31st edition of the book, however, does not mention the Straits' length. RTM later quoted a statement by Malaysian Department of the Naval Hydrography which said the Straits of Malacca "is 176 km longer" than the Tartar Straits. The game show's panel member then expressed his surprised doubt over the answer, said that "this sort of controversy does not happen often". An RTM official said that different references sources "that might give different answer to the same question".
1990s
1992: Reports on Dili shooting incident On 23 September 1992, a broadcast of segment on the 1991 Dili shooting incident in East Timor, then-part of Indonesia on TV1's 10pm news have caused outrage and sparked protests in Indonesia. The segment shows the Indonesian soldiers opened fire into a group of demonstrators and killing 50 people. It also reported that the republic have raided the East Timor islands and the troops opened fire on local residents.
The then-Information Minister, Mohamed Rahmat explained that the RTM's airing of the segment "was a mistake", while claiming that it is "not intended to embarrass the Indonesian Government". Furthermore, Indonesia has strongly objected over the incident's footage while also claiming it as an "insult" to them. On 27 September, RTM submitted the footage at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for further investigation. Later on, the investigation of footage's airing was completed and Mohamed said it was made by staffs from RTM's news division who was responsible for the telecast in which he said it is "upon their own consideration". He also said that the Dili incident airings does not reflect the government's stance on the issue. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security, Sudomo assessed that the issue was "considered closed". On 7 October, an RTM senior editor was being transferred to another job following the incident which nearly strained relations between Malaysia and Indonesia.
1993: RM100 remuneration controversy In July 1993, four radio announcers of Radio Tiga Ibukota (RMIK), one of RTM's national radio stations, were called by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for interrogation following the RM100 remuneration for an RTM program sponsored by a private company. At the same time, the then-Information Minister, Mohamed Rahmat stressed that any of RTM staffs should not received any incentives while carrying on duties, while stating a day later that the payment is not just involving the radio station, but on the contrary, it is "a practice at district radio stations throughout Malaysia". Three days later, the then-Director General of Broadcasting, Jaafar Kamin were assigned to lead the investigation on the matter to address the issue.
On 21 July, the Ministry of Information said it would submit an investigation report on four RMIK announcers receive RM100 from sponsor company to the then-Chief Secretary of the Government, Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, awhile at the same time, an RTM senior officer have interrogates several of RMIK announcers and officials to gather information on the allegation. Three days later, the ACA reiterated that it would continued the probe on the matter. On 25 September 1993, the Ministry have submitted the report to Ahmad Sarji, but yet to take any disciplinary action against the radio announcers. In October, the ACA proposed a disciplinary action to be taken by the Ministry, which is by suspending the announcer's salary.
1996: Patrick Teoh's April Fools' joke In April 1996, RTM's Radio 4 suspended one of its announcer, Patrick Teoh for a month for pulling an April Fools' joke by announced a non-existent advert about ducks placed on hot plates to make the ducks dance. Teoh also suspended in the same period for breaching its code of ethics. The controversy began when the Grey Advertising, an advertising company responsible for the advert, placed an advertisement in several newspapers looking for ducks to be featured in a commercial for a new snack. The concept was to place ducks on a hot plate, so they would jump about on the plate. Grey Advertising said that the advert is an April Fools joke to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
1998: Coverage of Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial In 1998, RTM was accused for "downplaying the report" on former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim at the time of his sodomy trials in its primetime news. An Utusan Malaysia article quoted that RTM has "shows no journalistic professionalism in not slotting the story as its main news item". Information Minister Mohamed Rahmat pointed out that the matter is entirely down to possible "misjudgment" while also rejected that certain RTM staffs "were out to sabotage the coverage". The Peninsula Malay Students Union (GPMS) president, Suhaimi Ibrahim urged RTM to be "more proactive in disseminating information on issues of national interest".
2000s
2001: Anwar Ibrahim as Islamic extremist In 2001, RTM was accused for defamed former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim and allegedly labelling him as an "immoral leader" and an "Islamic extremist" in an RTM programs on 4 and 5 September. Anwar subsequently filed a RM100 million defamation suit against the broadcaster, the Broadcasting DG and the Government, but he decided to withdraw the suit three years later, on 23 March 2004.
2004: Usage of 'infotainmen' in TV1 slogan In 2004, TV1 underwent rebranding and launches new slogan, 'Saluran Infotainmen Anda' (Your Infotainment Channel), which drew criticism following the usage of word 'infotainmen'. The then-Deputy Information Minister, Zainuddin Maidin have said that the broadcaster will keep the word in TV1's new slogan. Later, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) stressed that the usage of 'infotainmen' word was "considered unsuitable" and "it is wrong in terms of terminology formation which doesn't signifies a clear meaning", while said that the broadcaster should use 'infohibur' or 'inforia' instead. Zainuddin then reiterated that the word 'infotainmen' is appropriate while "it gets its meaning across well enough", while DBP board of management member, Johan Jaffar defend the word's usage and said that he "does not see any argument to reject that word". The Ministry of Information hold on its stance that it remained use that word as it "became a technical term used worldwide, including Germany, Japan and China". The issue resolved two years later, in 2006 when TV1 changes its slogan to "Saluran Inforia Anda" on 1 April.
2006: Airing of Prophet Muhammad's caricature On 3 February 2006, RTM came under fire following the unintentional airing of a caricature insulting the Prophet Muhammad in TV2's Mandarin News. Following the incident, RTM's managements was called out to give an explanation regarding the screening of Muhammad's caricature. Former Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad have ordered that the RTM officials who responsible for the caricature airing, should be suspended from duty.
2007: Rosnah Mat Aris remarks on Prophet Muhammad's wife controversy On 30 January 2007, actress and comedienne Rosnah Mat Aris become a controversial subject and nationwide uproar following her disparaging remarks on issues related to Islam by linking Prophet Muhammad's wife Siti Khadijah to the present issue of older women courting younger men on TV3's live entertainment programme, . She was subsequently suspended from appearing in any of RTM's radio and television stations for a period of one year beginning 1 March 2007. Rosnah later said that she was surprised when the broadcaster suspended her without telling her any explanation beforehand, while described RTM's action as "unfair". Her suspension by RTM stirred a much controversy, with some of film associations criticized the broadcaster of being immature and demanded the Ministry of Information to reconsider the decision of her suspension, while also stressed that the decision made by RTM "may affect other parties".
2008: "Aku Bukan Musuh Harta" In December 2008, "Aku Bukan Musuh Harta" ("I'm Not an Enemy of the Wealth"), a poetry song performed by Malaysian nasyid group, Algebra featuring Malaysian folk group, Kopratasa where its lyrics written by former Perlis Mufti, Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was banned by RTM from airing on its radio and TV networks. The song's ban received much criticism from many. The then-Deputy Director-General of Broadcasting, Adilah Shek Omar said that the reason for the ban was due to its "rough lyrics". Mohd Asri later question on why the broadcaster ban the song with lyrics he wrote whereas it has a "higher moral values" and "does not dedicated to certain parties". He also pointed that the song has a good lesson for many.
2010s
2010: Axing of the Galeri Mandarin Nasional'''s Bakun Dam documentary===