The Malaysian Insight

THE public can verify news articles or shared information on Covid-19 with the Communications and Multimedia Ministry’s Rapid Response Team, said director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

To authenticate information, call the hotline 03-8911 5103 or go to www.sebenarnya.my. Fake news can likewise be reported to the government.

Noor Hisham said the media and citizen journalists have contributed much in the fight against Covid-19.

“However, there are some netizens who are not responsible and disseminate false information. More seriously, there are people who incite others not to adhere to the rules and advice provided,” he said today at a daily press conference on the Covid-19 response.

Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission have opened 266 investigations into fake news on Covid-19.

Thirty cases have been filed in court, with 11 notices of warning issued. Eighteen people have pleaded guilty. At the same time, 330 disclaimers were published by the communications ministry regarding fake news.

Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry has to combat not just the virus but “viral” fake news.

“What I mean by ‘viral’ is that fake news appears to spread faster within a community than the actual Covid-19 virus,” he said.

Malaysia today recorded 31 new Covid-19 cases, for a total of 8,369 cases, and no deaths.

The double-digit growth is a sharp rise from the record lows of the last three days.

The death toll is 118. – June 12, 2020.