KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 — An aide to prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today lodged a police report against three websites, accusing the portals of spreading fake news about the latter.
In his police report today, Ismail Sabri’s political secretary Mohammad Anuar Mohd Yunus named www.agendadaily.com, themalaysialife.com and dialograkyat.blogspot.com over reports claiming that Ismail is worried about being the ‘shortest serving prime minister’.
“This report is made regarding the three news reports which contain false statements and is a criminal defamation linked to the statement by the prime minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“These three portals had intentionally and without ethics, had made false reports with malice and sullied the good name of the prime minister and spread fake statements, thus creating unease among the people,” Mohammad Anuar said in the report.
He said that the article published by Agenda Daily was republished by The Malaysia Life and Dialog Rakyat on the same day.
He also added that Ismail Sabri’s statement was manipulated by the three portals, from his original remark in response to a question by a journalist when in Bera.
“In fact, during the press conference, journalists from the three portals were not seen,” Mohammad Anuar said.
Despite this remark, it is actually a common industry practice by news organisations to rewrite articles by other publications, or of events which they did not physically cover.
