‘Malaysians becoming victims of their own lies’

They are obscuring the search for truth by vilifying politicians on social media networks and highlighting contentious issues without checking facts and figures, alleges PPP chief

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians are among the highest users of the short messaging service (SMS) technology in the world, PPP president M Kayveas claimed.

However, there is much abuse of the technology as hundreds of our users are also using the service to spread slander and lies, particularly about politicians, alleged Kayveas.

The same abuse is now rampant on social media networks likeTwitter, Facebook and blogs, obscuring the search for truth.

“It is unfortunate and has backfired, as Malaysia has now fallen victim to her own widespread slander,” said Kayveas.

“The only way slander and lies can be overcome is by reviving the spirit of fellowship in citizenship and integrity as well as making sacrifices for the greater good.

“The time has come for Malaysians to take stock of the future direction of the country instead of spending their time spreading and inculcating lies or slander.”

Kayveas added that the widespread use of SMS, tweets and social postings have exposed Malaysians to be people who like to “hide when they shoot.”

They can hide behind anonymous accounts and names, or migrate to overseas servers  to spread slander, making it difficult for the authorities to detect them, Kayveas said.

The culture of hiding behind the scene, he added, should be eradicated if the country wants to progress in this age of globalisation.

Checks and balances

He said some bloggers who played a role in this culture of hiding online, should take the lead in producing transparent copies and articles for Malaysians to know the true situation.

“Every week, I receive anonymous SMS singling out various individuals as bad hats. I have begun to ignore them as they are unaccountable. But, some folk do buy into this slander.”

Journalism, either through mainstream or alternative platforms, can never go wrong if the practitioners have the best intentions in mind and if they advocate balance reporting.

However, this has eroded due to the so-called two-party system after 2008, he said, adding that there are positives from such a system, as it generates checks and balances.

“But, there is also a setback to this system as it means each side wil try to outdo  the other, so there is constant politicking and new strategies devised for each side to gain traction.

“It comes at the expense of the ordinary folk, who need undivided attention to their socio-economic woes such as the rising living costs and healthcare,” Kayveas said.

“What about the economy, as investors would be put off if the country is embroiled in one controversy after another?”

Kayveas singled out Pakatan Rakyat, claiming the alliance had triggered the culture of slander in Malaysia by highlighting contentious issues, without checking facts and figures.

“If leaders are elected only to rebut slander, how can they lead the country forward. There is no peace of mind,” he said.