Social media posts in Muslim-majority Malaysia have targeted an ethnically Chinese lawmaker with a fabricated headline claiming she backed halal certification for pork, which is forbidden in Islam. Teresa Kok denied making such a statement and has lodged a police report over the false claim, while Malay-language daily Berita Harian also denied ever publishing such a report.
The fabricated report shared on Facebook on January 14, 2026 features an image of Kok, a lawmaker from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a member of Malaysia’s ruling coalition. Its Malay-language headline reads: “Halal certification for pork is necessary.”
Its Malay-language caption criticises Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, reading: “Ahh, that’s it… What do the PKR gang say, Anwar Ibrahim… this is what you all wanted” (archived link).
More than half of Malaysia’s 34 million population are Muslims, who must observe strict halal dietary standards under which meat must be slaughtered in a specific manner (archived here and here).
Pork and all pork-derived products, however, are entirely prohibited.
Screenshot of the false post, taken on January 16, 2026, with the red X added by AFP
Kok, who is known for her outspoken views, has frequently been targeted over her remarks, including by members of her own coalition.
Most recently, she filed a defamation suit against Akmal Salleh, the youth chief of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a coalition partner. The case is scheduled to be heard next month (archived link).
Akmal had called Kok an “embarrassment to the country” after she urged the government to reconsider a proposal to make halal certification mandatory for eateries, excluding those serving pork and alcohol.
The same claim also surfaced elsewhere on Facebook and TikTok, but the circulating report is in fact fabricated.
A keyword search on Google led to an article published on Berita Harian’s website on January 15 titled: “Teresa lodges police report, Berita Harian explains manipulated headline” (archived link).
“The article’s title has been edited, manipulated, and altered from the original publication,” the newspaper said.
The report also includes a screenshot comparison of the original article which was titled “Investigation regarding halal certificate is inappropriate” published on September 9, 2024 (archived link).
The 2024 report states Kok defended her statements about the proposal to make halal certification mandatory, following a police investigation into the matter as multiple reports were lodged against her (archived link).
Screenshot of Berita Harian article, taken on January 16, 2026
A separate keyword search led to statement published on Kok’s official Facebook account on January 14, 2026 calling the circulating posts false.
“I’ve been slandered again! Please share this image and reject the fake news. I have never made this statement!!” reads the Malay-language post.
Screenshot of Teresa Kok’s statement on Facebook
AFP has debunked other false claims circulating in Malaysia that used doctored or fabricated news reports here and here.