J-Kom to ‘review modus operandi’ after groceries infographic gaffe

 

J-Kom’s infographic was slammed by netizens after it claimed that a household of four could survive on RM391 worth of groceries a month.

BANGI: The community communications department (J-Kom) will review its modus operandi after an infographic on groceries it released was criticised by social media users.

Communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil said while he had verified with J-Kom and the domestic trade and cost of living ministry that the figures in the infographic were factually correct, the poster might have been “tone deaf”.

“J-Kom needs to review its modus operandi and improve certain key areas. We will have internal discussions about this,” Fahmi said at a press conference after the Global Conference on Communication, Culture and Contemporary Media in Bangi.

Netizens yesterday slammed J-Kom for claiming that a household of four could survive on RM391 worth of groceries a month. In an infographic, J-Kom listed six items that a family of four with a minimum household income of RM1,500 could buy, including two chickens for RM37.60 and two 10kg bags of rice (RM38/bag).

J-Kom’s infographic was published after a Kosmo report claimed that it cost at least RM500 a month for a household of four to buy groceries nowadays, up from RM200 previously. Subsequently, a host of social media postings and comments complaining about the high cost of living appeared, based on the report.

Fahmi then asked the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to investigate these posts due to their similarity to each other.

Ministry looking into cyberbullying law

Fahmi also said his ministry was studying whether the country should introduce a specific law to combat cyberbullying.

He said while it usually took up to three years to draft new laws, the process had to be accelerated in light of the increase in social media users.

“There is justification for us to act quickly on issues like these (cyberbullying),” he said. “Over time, more people will use social media, thus increasing the possibility of cyberbullying and cyber harassment.”

The Lembah Pantai MP also welcomed a suggestion by law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said to fine those playing up race, religion and royalty issues, commonly known as 3R.

Last night, Azalina said action such as issuing fines might be a better way of dealing with 3R issues rather than charging people under the Sedition Act. - FMT