KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak alleged today that the Internet had become a medium for stoking racial and religious tension and spreading half-truths and outright lies.
Addressing an international forum organised by Umno at the Putra World Trade Centre, he said,
“During the last general election, a host of unsubstantiated allegations were propagated online. It was said that the government was orchestrating blackouts at polling stations to change the ballot boxes and flying in 40,000 people across the nation to vote.
“These claims were all proven to be baseless lies, but not before they had been swallowed hook, line and sinker by many, and are doing real damage to our reputation.”
Najib said such stories could go viral and take on a life of their own.
He called on Internet users to be responsible and think about the effect of the content they would share instead of doing so in the heat of the moment.
“The public needs to be discerning and understand that allegations on the Internet should not be accepted as the absolute truth,” he said. “The claims need to be questioned and evidence must be assessed.
“Education could play a role but it is very difficult. There is no perfect solution to this.”
However, he added, legitimate criticism was part of healthy democratic debate and should be encouraged.
– BERNAMA
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