WhatsApp group admins must restrain malicious content: Govt

PUTRAJAYA: WhatsApp group administrators must ensure no malicious content is spread in their group chats which could potentially affect the nation's stability.
Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said currently the government has no plans to draft a new law to penalise WhatsApp administrators, but stressed that information which jeopardise harmony should not be spread.
"As it is, the current laws still prevail, we have the Communications and Multimedia Act, Sedition Act, Defamation Act and the Penal Code.
"They (public) should not place the responsibility solely on the government. So as an administrator, they have to manage their WhatsApp groups and implement its due diligence," Jailani said after launching the E-Commerce Delivery Symposium and Awards 2017 at the Marriot Hotel here.
He said his ministry, together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have implemented many programmes to educate the public, especially those who manage chat groups to have a sense of responsibility with regards to the content shared.
"The problem in our society is we like to be the first to receive and forward a message, it will give us some sort of good feeling and will make us feel famous.
"If you forward something which is informative in nature then its okay, but if you spread something that could create havoc or tension, I reckon these things must be stopped, so responsible parties such as the MCMC, PDRM or any other agencies must take action against them," he said.
Meanwhile, Jailani said there is a need to transform the existing five-digit national Postcode system to a "Housecode" system to leapfrog the delivery performance across the country.
He said the ministry and MCMC is studying the matter thoroughly as Putrajaya aims to transform the National Postcode and Addressing system, where it would enhance the delivery capacity to three million in 2025.
"We have successfully implemented the Postcode system since 1976 that identifies the area but not the location.
"As technology evolves, with the introduction of Google map, it is time for us to embark on an Address code system that could pinpoint the actual house or location," he said.