Pak Lah's aide to lodge police report on fake news about death

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's special officer, Datuk Jefridin Atan said, he will lodge a police report tomorrow regarding the circulation of fake news that the former Prime Minister had died.

Jefridin said, they viewed this matter seriously and he would personally lodge the report at the Putrajaya district police headquarters.

"We cannot ignore this; this fake viral message is pure slander which creates problems for people. By right, the people should be praying for Pak Lah's well-being and long life.

"Death is no joking matter. I will leave it to the police to investigate this matter,” he told Bernama today.

Pak Lah's former press secretary Teoh Ai Hua, when contacted, urged people not to share unverified news, saying he met the former prime minister at his residence on Thursday.

"Pak Lah was fine when we met the other day. I do not understand why people want to viral fake news. Please don't do it," said Teoh, who is now a lecturer at the Applied Psychology, Policy and Social Work Studies Centre of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

Today's fake news regarding the former prime minister again caught the attention of social media users, as on Aug 2 a similar piece of false news had also been circulated by irresponsible parties.

Jefridin had also denied the earlier report, saying Pak Lah was in good health and with his family.

Abdullah Badawi, 81, was Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. - BERNAMA