Abdul Rahman (front, third left) after officiating at the soft-launching of the Malaysia Ride Day 2015 at PWTC. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The culture of defaming and sharing false information in this country has come to the stage where it could affect stability in the country, said Barisan Nasional Strategic director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
He said, due to the lack of self-discipline shown by some people, it was necessary for the government to step in and to review the current acts and laws, including the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998.
“The amendments (to the Acts) were deemed as necessary enough so that the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) would have the mandate to deal with some problematic issues.
“Because in the end, the security of the nation, the people, and the stability of the economy is the responsibility of the ruling government,” Abdul Rahman said while officiating at the soft-launching of the Malaysia Ride Day 2015 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here yesterday.
Abdul Rahman, who is also the Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, pointed out that even in some developed countries, there were some form of media control.
Abdul Rahman said, it had always been the Malaysian government’s responsibility to provide stable access of information to the people, as long as the information shared were facts and done in an ethical manner.
To this, Abdul Rahman said, the government was mulling to have a one-stop-centre of fact-check via the Internet as it was the right for every Malaysian to know the facts and explanation of every accusation thrown by some irresponsible quarters.
“We need facts and speed on countering … you can’t blame the government (if the explanation is late) because when there is an allegation, it is instantly made, but the response must be substantiated with facts,” he said further. — Bernama