PUTRAJAYA: The riots in the United Kingdom, attributed to the spread of fake news, should serve as a lesson to prevent similar incidents in Malaysia, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said that the riots serve as a wake-up call for Malaysia and that the issue of fake news cannot be handled casually.
"This highlights the importance of addressing the issue of fake news seriously.
"After the last general election, we observed a significant spread of extreme fake news on social media, often related to sensitive topics such as race, religion, and the royal institution (3R).
"Here (in Malaysia), we frequently engage in discussions with social media platforms to ensure they are proactive in curbing the spread of fake news, especially news related to the 3Rs," he said in his weekly press conference today.
Riots in several areas of the UK following the stabbing of three girls in Southport on July 29 have been blamed on misinformation spread by far-right groups
The alleged attacker has been named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, and he faces three charges of murder, 10 charges of attempted murder and a charge of possession of a bladed article at his next court hearing on Oct 25 in Liverpool Crown Court.
Rudakubana was born in Cardiff, Wales, to immigrant parents from Rwanda.
Before the attacker was named, far-right groups claim that the attacker was a Muslim who recently immigrated to the UK.
This misinformation fuelled anti-Muslim and anti-immigration protests and clashes in major cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds.