PAS lawmaker Mohd Yusni Mat Piah learnt his lesson the hard way when he had to retract and apologise to the Prime Minister last week.
The Penaga state assemblyman had claimed during a Penang state assembly sitting that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was the 17th richest leader in the world.
The second-term politician made the allegation based on a United Kingdom-based news portal report without verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the information.
Just because it is a UK or United States-based news portal, it doesn’t mean it’s correct.
Anwar has publicly declared his RM11.2mil assets since 2022. It’s too paltry a sum to be among the world’s top earners or even within the ranks of Malaysia’s rich and famous.
Mohd Yusni’s problem is like many other Malaysians, too, who believe many things they read online but we would expect better from a seasoned state assemblyman.
Many just read and forward these fake news to their friends without checking.
Worse, in the case of Anwar’s purported financial ranking, it was even picked up by a few Malaysian news websites.
Over the last few weeks, rumour mongers, possibly paid cyber warriors, appeared to have worked overtime.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek was targeted again following her meeting with a visiting delegation from Afghanistan recently.
The group had met and visited a few all-female schools and a women teachers’ training college. The mixed gender Bukit Jalil Sports School was also visited.
The important point was that the Taliban were prepared to listen to a female Education Minister and hear Malaysia’s stand on the right of women to education.
It was a good opportunity for Malaysia to convince these Taliban, who have banned women from universities and certain jobs.
Last week, a vicious round of rumour, via a voice recording and message, circulated that Malaysia was offering 3,800 students and teachers from Afghanistan places in our local universities.
There is no such plan but come to think of it, if the Islamic countries are prepared to pay for these women, why not? There are plenty of Middle East universities which can also accommodate them if these Afghan women are allowed.
In fact, it has been reported that there are currently over 1,000 Afghan students including women who are studying in China while many others have escaped to neighbouring countries in their pursuit of education.
There is even a Confucius Institute at the Kabul University where many of its students receive scholarships from China.
But the 1.4 million Afghan girls in Afghanistan shouldn’t be deprived of their rights to schooling because of Taliban extremism.
If the Taliban don’t change, the development funds will continue to stop. It’s their choice. That perhaps explained why they visited Malaysia on a learning trip.
Then, there was an earlier widely circulated fake news article that questioned why Anwar wasn’t invited to the White House for Donald Trump’s inauguration as President.
The writer cheekily added that “even Myanmar was invited” together with Laos and Cambodia.
The mere mention of Myanmar, under a military dictatorship, itself should have been a red flag. Still, many missed it, and went on to believe it. Of course, they forwarded it.
Attendees at the inaugurations of US presidents are usually the vice-president, lawmakers, judges, donors, former presidents and vice-presidents, military veterans, and of course, family members. Elon Musk, for sure. Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey won’t be.
But essentially, it’s mostly an American affair at the Capitol Hill in Washington DC.
The golden rule is always check and if unsure, just leave it out.
