Portal to be created to help people combat scams, slanders - Fahmi

The portal, he said, was expanded from the special segment 'Biar Betul!' which was shown on the Broadcasting Department (RTM) channels as the segment which was less than a minute long was insufficient and needed to be sped up to deal with the issue.

"It is still in the early stages but there is a need so that the people in general do not have to doubt about the material they read. If there is any doubt they can refer (to the portal).

"Today we can watch the episode of 'Biar Betul!' on various platforms including on RTM where scam material, fake content, slanderous news are exposed every day but we see that it is not enough and needs to be improved," he said after launching the 'Jom Baca Bersama' 10-minute programme at the level of the Ministry of Communications, here today.

According to Fahmi, the new platform will strengthen the capabilities of existing platforms such as SEBENARNYA.MY under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and MyCheck.My, managed by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) and Biar Betul! to make it easier for people to search and verify any information received.

Fahmi said the ministry will also work with social media platforms so that information received by users goes through a verification process as practised on the X platform that attaches 'Community Notes' to a post, allowing users to give feedback on the post.

In addition, a total of 1,878 MADANI communities across the country can also be used as 'Biar Betul!' agents. as the front line to fend off defamation, correct perceptions and check facts with the ministry to ensure that the delivery of information to the community is done more clearly and in an organised manner.

He said the matter was taken seriously considering that MCMC's information showed that almost 80 per cent of the content downloaded until April was of a scam nature, including advertising fraud and online gambling.

Earlier, Fahmi in his speech said the theme of the Jom Baca Bersama 10 Minit programme "Reading Preserves Unity" is very much in line with the MADANI concept which reflects the emphasis on building a civilized society, giving each other insight and fostering unity.

Organised jointly by the Ministry of Communications' Resource Centre and the Information Department's Resource and Photo Centre (Japan), the programme was held in conjunction with World Book and Copyright Day celebrated worldwide on April 23 every year.

Also making the programme a success were the Bernama Information and Library Centre (Infolib), the Resource Centre of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas), RTM Library and the Tun Abdul Razak Institute of Broadcasting and Information (IPPTAR).

-- BERNAMA