MCMC Investigates 42 Cases Of Fake News On Energy Crisis - Fahmi

PUTRAJAYA, April 8 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has opened 42 investigation papers into the spread of false information related to the global energy crisis and the West Asia conflict circulating on social media and digital platforms as of 3 pm today.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said of the total, 31 pieces of content involved false reports on fuel costs, while 22 individuals from various locations nationwide have been called in to have their statements recorded to assist investigations.

 MCMC has also submitted 355 requests to remove false content from various social media platforms, with 154 items already taken down by platform providers, while the remainder are still under review, he added.

“I urge all Malaysians to remain vigilant when encountering information, especially on social media, particularly those related to the global energy crisis.

“In a time when the world is facing current challenges, there are parties who take advantage by spreading unverified information solely to gain attention and influence,” he said at a briefing on the global energy crisis during his weekly press conference here today.

Meanwhile, Fahmi emphasised the importance of practising ‘tabayyun’, or verifying and establishing the truth of information before sharing it, especially in the fast-moving digital landscape.

When asked whether the 22 individuals being investigated by the MCMC were linked to any political parties or non-governmental organisations, he said political affiliation was not the focus of the investigation, which is instead centred on assisting probes into the spread of false information related to the global energy crisis.

He said investigations carried out by MCMC so far have focused on how the information was obtained, its original source, and the intent behind its dissemination to the public.

“At this stage, the investigation is more focused on how they obtained the information, where it came from and why it was shared. Political affiliation, to my knowledge, is not a factor in the investigation,” he said.

-- BERNAMA