UMNO’S IT Bureau has set up cyber watch groups in all party divisions across the country to monitor social media behaviour. 

Bureau head Ahmad Maslan said a group was deployed in each of the 191 divisions, with 40 members to each group.

“We want to start a social media culture that is ethical. We want to fight against those who slander us on social media,” he said after launching the Umno Etika Media Social seminar in Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur today.

Ahmad also urged party members to take legal action against those who slander them on social media to teach them a lesson so that they will stop. 

“This is especially so among the opposition. They are not ethical. We want them to be ethical social media users.

“We urge all Umno members to sue those who have slandered them. Just like how Prime Minister Najib Razak has sued Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli, who made false accusations against him.

“So that they will stop slandering and our social media (use) will become more ethical.

Ahmad said online slander, if left unchecked, could do a lot of harm because there were 22 million social media users and 42 million mobile subscriptions in Malaysia.

“We want the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to increase the penalty of a RM50,000 fine and a year’s jail to deter those who slander.” 

Under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998, the person found guilty of publishing content that is indecent, obscene, false, menacing, or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person” is liable for a maximum RM50,000 fine and a year’s jail.

According to the Umno IT bureau, the average Malaysian user is on the internet at least three hours a day.

Of the 22 million active social media users in the country, YouTube draws the highest number of users at 68%, Facebook second at 67% and WhatsApp third at 60%. 

Ahmad said the bureau’s statistics showed the bulk of the Facebook users were aged between 14 and 40. 

“The average social media user in Malaysia has 233 friends – the highest in the world. 

“If you are on social media and you are not sure of the content, don’t share it. 

“Always make it a point to check (the information) before spreading it.” – May 14, 2017.