Three have been charged over fake Covid-19 news – Deputy IGP

KOTA KINABALU: Three people, including a former employee of the Sabah State Railway Department, had been detained by police for spreading fake news on the coronavirus (Covid19) in the country, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mazlan Mansor.

Mazlan said the three individuals had been charged in courts for spreading the fake news in social media.

“So far, three people have been charged in court, for spreading fake news of Covid-19, while police have since opened 13 investigation papers pertaining to the spreading of fake news.

“We are taking this matter seriously, spreading fake news, and we will not compromise with anyone caught. They will face the law accordingly,” he said yesterday.

A former employee of the

Sabah State Railway Department was fined RM5,000, in default 10 months in jail, by the Sandakan Magistrate's Court on February 12, for spreading fake news on Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Mazlan said police were optimistic in reducing the spread of fake news especially on Covid-19, with the existing law in the country.

He said police were constantly monitoring the Covid-19 issues and hoped Malaysians would not simply believe and spread news without first getting verification from the relevant authorities.

“We are constantly monitoring such situation and we have seen that many Malaysians are more mature and will not simply believe in unverified news.

“We hope such trend will continue and with the law that we have, we want to install a sense of law-abiding society that will not simply jeopardize public order,” he said.

Mazlan said this after witnessing the handing over of post between outgoing Sabah Police Commissioner, Datuk Omar Mammh and incoming successor Datuk Zaini Jass at the State Police Headquarters in Kepayan here yesterday.

Omar will retire today (February 14) as Sabah Police Commissioner and will be replaced by Zaini who was previously the Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner.