Act against blog, FB users for ‘BN MPs topple government’ claim, says Shahrir

Barisan Nasional's Johor Baru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Samad says MCMC must move from its role of advocacy to that of enforcement against slander and other lies being spread via the Internet. – The Malaysian Insider pic, August 19, 2015.

The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) wants action to be taken against the perpetrators who spread false claims that some BN MPs were involved in a plot to topple the government.

Its chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad said BNBBC wants the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to take action against the blogs and Facebook account holders who spread the lie on social media.

The Johor Baru member of Parliament said the police should also investigate the matter based on the reports made by the MPs who were alleged to be involved in the plot, adding that the rumour was created with the bad intention of insulting Parliament.

"We want MCMC to move on from its advocacy role of merely advising those who spread false news.

"Its time for MCMC to act as an enforcer to ensure that the Internet is not used as a tool to slander," Shahrir was quoted as saying in the BNBBC’s website after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi cleared them of any such wrongdoing.

He added that information technology was meant to open up new economic opportunities and to increase the efficiency of the people and the country, and not as a weapon of betrayal.

Yesterday, Zahid declared that the 20 BN leaders accused by a blog of being part of a plot to topple the government were innocent.

Zahid, who is also Home Minister, had said he had submitted all the information he had on the plot to the police for investigations, and none of the 20 were involved.

The list of 20 BN lawmakers, which is now making the rounds on social media, include former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

Many of those named have denied any involvement in such a plot, while several lodged police reports against the blog which carried the allegations, Suara Hati.

Zahid first revealed the plot to topple the government on Saturday and vowed that he would not allow it to happen.

He said he had learned that an Umno man was leading the plot with the support of opposition lawmakers, and that they were seeking signatures of both BN and opposition lawmakers for a statutory declaration (SD) to remove the government.

- TMI