Kuala lumpur: TikTok today announced a partnership with the Election Commission (EC) to safeguard the integrity of its platform ahead of the 17th Sabah state election. The collaboration aims to protect users from misinformation and provide reliable, verified information about the voting process, including an in-app search guide offering official resources on the state election.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during the state polls, TikTok will work closely with the EC and fact-checkers to make authoritative information on voting and the election easily accessible to users. TikTok stated that advanced moderation technologies and thousands of safety professionals would connect users with authoritative information while removing harmful content from the platform.
TikTok will activate its in-app search guide, which will appear when users search for election-related content. By clicking the guide, users will be directed to a detailed page reminding them of TikTok's community guidelines and providing a link to the EC's official website for verified election information.
To further safeguard the integrity of election processes, TikTok engaged with experts on the Sabah state election as part of its ongoing collaboration with government agencies, civil society organisations, and election watchdogs, including non-government bodies such as BERSIH. This is to ensure that its election policies continue to evolve in response to more complex threats and challenges.
TikTok Malaysia's head of Public Policy, Firdaus Fadzil, emphasized that through the partnership with the EC, TikTok is committed to supporting and strengthening the integrity of the election process, which often sparks active discussions amongst the community. He highlighted TikTok's efforts to keep users safe by enforcing robust policies to prevent misinformation, enabling the in-app search guide, prohibiting political advertisements, and collaborating with experts to improve their approach.
Meanwhile, EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun stressed the commission's commitment to ensuring Malaysians receive accurate, efficient, and transparent information throughout the voting process. He noted that collaborating with TikTok is a key step toward ensuring voters have access to authentic and timely information.
Ramlan further stated that through the partnership, the EC reaffirms its commitment to promoting voter education and empowering public participation, enabling Malaysians to take part in the electoral process with confidence and enthusiasm.
In Malaysia, between the first quarter of 2024 and the end of the second quarter of 2025, TikTok removed more than 450,000 videos under its Integrity and Authenticity policies, with over 99 percent removed proactively. TikTok prohibits political advertisements and does not allow accounts belonging to politicians, governments, or political parties to monetise content, except for official entities overseeing elections which may run ads strictly limited to essential voter information.
The platform encourages users to report misleading content through the in-app reporting tool, ensuring a safe and reliable space for election-related information.