KUALA LUMPUR – The Communications Ministry is mulling the setting up of a committee to monitor and combat the spread of fake news during the Sg Bakap by-election.
Its minister, Fahmi Fadzil, said the government is already monitoring social media platforms for misinformation that is disseminated during election seasons.
“We have a team monitoring the spread of fake news at various levels, including the Communications Ministry, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Information Department.
“God-willing, we will have a committee for the Sg Bakap by-election later,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama after attending a Nibong Tebal Madani programme in Sg Bakap, Penang, today.
He also refuted allegations that the government will be taking advantage of the by-election to distribute “goodies” due to his visit today.
Fahmi said his visit to Penang was to deliver a letter to governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak relating to the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s enthronement ceremony.
“It is true that the ministers will always be out and about. This is based on the prime minister’s (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) instructions that ministers are to go serve the people no matter where.”
Following the death of PAS assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24, Sg Bakap will be heading to the polls on July 6. The campaign will start on nomination day on June 22. – June 6, 2024