Najib's 'resignation' draws reactions online
Teoh El Sen
Februari 18, 2013 05:39 MYT
Februari 18, 2013 05:39 MYT
A false statement about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak resigning, believed to be the work of hackers, has set some tongues wagging in cyberspace.
One twitter user @adriene concluded it was either an intrusion, or an insider, who created the false statement originating from the Information Department.
Several others joked about the apparent strange statement coming from the government agency under the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture, with at least one commenting that it was quite uncharacteristic for a Malaysian politician to resign, or apologise.
There were those, who also sympathised with the UMNO president, with one asking why there were those attempting to “bully” Najib. While another user linked the whole thing to the recent deportation of Australian Senator Nick Xenophon.
Yesterday, former premier Tun Dr mahathir Mohamad spoke out against total freedom of the internet, saying that he would rather be censored by the government than allow his blog to be hacked.
He remarked that internet allows the truth to become lies, and vice versa.
The Information Department today denied issuing the statement, which stated that Najib has “officially resigned as the prime minister of Malaysia upon pressure by the people”. The ‘statement’ also said that Najib apologises to opposition leaders for defaming them.
Last year in August, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim ‘apologised’ to Najib in a Hari Raya message through his blog for his various 'transgressions'. Anwar claimed it was the work of hackers, blaming the attack on UMNO.