Step up efforts to address politics of slander in social media

Politics of slander and perception in the social media propagated by the opposition should be addressed immediately to correct the negative perceptions against UMNO and the government.

Several delegates to the 2016 UMNO General Assembly here expressed their concern that if the matter is allowed to continue, there will be adverse impact on the government.

Labuan UMNO Youth chief Datuk Mohd Rafi Ali Hassan said it was feared that the dirty political game played by the opposition would influence the people thus retarding the development efforts by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government especially in Labuan.

"The opposition has been making slanderous statements to the extent that the people cannot differentiate between diamond and glass," he told Bernama.

Maran UMNO Division deputy chief Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin suggested that all government agencies establish their own social media unit to inform about the development projects implemented by the government.

"The government also needs a one-stop centre to monitor and disseminate information on all of the government efforts to the public," she said.

Kepong UMNO Division Puteri chief Hazrene Begum Mohd Husin said the young people in the party should make social media as an instrument to convince the younger generation towards the struggles of UMNO.

"Information can be disseminated faster by using electronic gadgets as well as social media applications. It has also become a trend not only among the younger generation but also the older people," she said.

Citing the United States presidential election as an example, she said social media had played a vital role in the poll. -- Bernama