The surreal world of “fake news” and “post-truths” have finally come to Malaysia, with the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang showing his hand.
Hadi’s propaganda offensive in the past few days, echoing Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s baseless attacks on the DAP as anti-Malay, anti-Islam, the dominant power in Pakatan Harapan with all other leaders, whether Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail or Mohamad Sabu as mere DAP puppets and stooges, marks an UMNO-PAS unholy alliance to induct Malaysia into the world of fake news and “post-truth”.
Undoubtedly, the Najib-Hadi duo would have top any “Fake News Award” in Malaysia.
May be Malaysians should thank the Azalina Fake Committee on Fake News for finally driving home to Malaysians the ubiquity and iniquity of fake news, false information and “post-truths”.
With the approach of the 14th General Election in less than 90 days, there is an urgent need for Malaysian voters to be aware of the ubiquity and iniquity of fake news and false information to influence the Malaysian electorate on polling day and skewer election results.
According to a recent report, a study showed that two thirds of Irish are concerned about fake news, as trust in traditional journalism has rebounded while faith in social media platforms has fallen.
Trust in traditional reporting in Ireland has increased by five percentage points to 53 per cent while trust in search engines and social media platforms has dropped eight percentage points to 33 per cent.
The study shows that a significant majority (64 per cent) are concerned about “fake news”, and claims there is “a yearning” for journalism that provides “accurate, credible information”.
According to the study, a majority of Irish people believe that traditional journalists are meeting expectations in terms of investigating corruption (56 per cent), guarding information quality (54 per cent) and educating on issues (61 per cent).
The study finds that at a time when people are struggling with who and what to believe there is a notable rise in trust in journalism. It said: “People’s trust in social media as a source of news is collapsing, leaving an opportunity for journalists and bona fide experts to inform society.”
In Malaysia, there must a greater awareness among the people about the ubiquity and iniquity of fake news, false information and “post-truths” but there is little hope of traditional journalism restoring trust to provide accurate and credible information, as the mainstream media, in particular the UMNO/BN owned and controlled ones like Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Star are among the worst culprits in disseminating fake news and false information in the service of their “political masters”.
Who for instance were the purveyors of the fake news that DAP spent a budget of RM100 million to RM1 billion to fund a Red Bean Army (RBA) of 3,000 cybertroopers operating out of Concorde Hotel in Kuala Lumpur to attack and defame UMNO/BN – if not the UMNO/BN mainstream media?
The abysmal failure of rhe authorities to take action against the UMNO/BN owned and controlled mainstream media for their fake news, false information and lies about the Pakatan Harapan and independent NGOs is the strongest proof that Malaysians must be beware of the Azalina Fake Committee on Fake News – for it seemed to be the latest Trumpish effort to weaponise fake news against Pakatan Harapan and independent NGOs under the guise of combating fake news.
Malaysia has arrived in the world of fakeries – fake news, fake news analysis and fake news analysts, apart from fake elections and fake government.
Let me say a few words about “fake news analysts”, who belong to a new breed of self-proclaimed journalists who dare not praise UMNO and BN parties and leaders because of their unpopularity and kleptocratic ways but choose to run down Pakatan Harapan leaders and NGO leaders at every possibility.
For instance, they would cast doubts on the sincerity and integrity of DAP and Pakatan Harapan leaders but have nothing to say about the misdemeanours of UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders, whether about the international multi-billion ringgit 1MDB money-laundering scandal, “MO1” or the history created by the top three MCA leaders contesting in parliamentary constituencies where the largest voting ethnic group are Malays and not Chinese.
Is MCA representing the Chinese in Barisan Nasional or are they representing UMNO to the Malaysian Chinese?
In Bentong, the parliamentary constituency of the MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, the racial breakdown of the electorate in the second quarter of 2017 are Malays 46.1%, Chinese 42.4% and Others 2.6% – as compared to the voter racial breakdown in 2004 General election of 48.6% Chinese, 40.5% Malays, 9.4% Indians and 1.4% Others.
In Ayer Hitam, the parliamentary constituency of MCA Deputy President and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, the voter racial breakdown in the second quarter of 2017 were Malays 57.6%; Chinese 38.3%; Indians 3.9% and Others 0.2%.
When Wee contested in the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat in the 2004 General Election, the racial breakdown of the voters in the constituency were 55.5% Malays, 40% Chinese; 4.3% Indians and 0.3% Others.
In Tanjong Malim, the parliamentary constituency of the MCA Secretary-General and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, the current racial breakdown of the electorate is Malays 55.4%, Chinese 25.8%, Indians 13.2% and Orang Asli 5.6%, as compared to 2008 General Election when Ong first contested in the constituency – Malays 51%, Chinese 31%, Indians 15.1% and Orang Asli 2.9%.
The statistics speak for themselves about the sincerity and integrity of the three top MCA leaders!
(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Friday, 9th February 2018)