Don’t spread lies, hatred online: PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has warned the public not to misuse the internet by spreading lies and hatred that could destroy the foundation of our multiracial society.
"This is especially the case in a multireligious and multicultural nation like Malaysia. We must not let the internet to become a medium for stoking racial and religious tensions," he said in his keynote address at the Umno International Forum at PWTC.
Najib, who is Umno president, said there have been times when internet was used to spread lies.
"For example, during the last general election, it was said the government was orchestrating blackouts in polling stations to switch ballot boxes, and flying in 40,000 people to vote.
"These claims were all proven to be baseless, but not before real damage was done to our reputation."
He said it is incumbent on internet users to be mindful of what they share online and understand, too, that information online should not be regarded as the absolute truth.
Najib also stressed the three key challenges to the idea of a nation that is being shaped by the internet revolution.
The first challenge is that people are given freedom to share ideas about governance instantly and the views are spread to a global audience.
People have access to opinions and political philosophies from different systems around the world, and if they are not happy with their government, they can tell the world about it in real time, Najib said.
The second challenge is that nation building requires the engagement of the people.
"It is a collective endeavour that requires the government to tap into a deeper identity and a sense of belonging to a bigger community," Najib said.
"Unfortunately, the age of information is also the age of distraction where people must understand when to put down their phone and engage with people."
On the third challenge, he said the internet era might hamper the diplomatic efforts between countries.
"For centuries, diplomacy has been a guarded world, with carefully established conventions and language ... In a connected world, diplomacy is now more public than before," Najib said.
The release of thousands of classified documents online has changed the public and diplomatic discourse, as secrets can be shared publicly.
"That will affect the way we conduct the delicate and sometimes messy business of international relations," Najib said.