BESTARI JAYA : On January 26 last month at 10pm, “Ibu Yati” Facebook account, that has about 1,700 followers, according to local news website Malaysiakini. She allegedly posted three separate postings of offensive post and circulating of rumors on the recent deadly coronavirus outbreak in China. Among that was a warning against 1,000 Chinese nationals who arrived in Penang amid the outbreak of coronavirus.
Coronavirus has indeed caused public concern especially when the first case was reported in Malaysia. In addition, too much fake news spread on social media also does not help the community to calm down but it only makes things worse. In an effort to address the matter, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) will take action against those who spread false news.
On February 5, she was charged with three counts in the Magistrate’s Court in Kuala Lumpur, of causing public fear or alarm. If convicted, she could face up to two years in prison for each count, or be punished with a fine or both.
What complicates the case is that the Facebook account is actually owned by an award-winning journalist named Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias. She has written for Berita Harian and New Straits Times. She is also the general treasurer of the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM). She had received the prestigious Kajai Award in 2014 and Tokoh Wartawan Rakyat in 2016, in addition to over 20 other journalism awards. She pleaded not guilty on all charges in front of Magistrate Tawfiq Affandy Chin, as reported by Astro Awani.
Wan Noor Hayati is the first person to be charged in Malaysia over allegations of spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. All the posts have since been removed. It remained unclear whether any were linked to her journalism.
It has long since abandoned the idea of “journalistic” ethics merely because social media has blurred the lines between “citizen journalists” and “traditional” reporting which, now it depends on how you view things.
According to communication lecturer in Unisel, Azira Azlin Shaharuddin. Wan Noor Hayati allegedly published those three posts on her personal Facebook page. She was not doing so, while on duty as a journalist. “It is unethical but at only a personal capacity” she said.
Moreover, corporate communication student from Unisel, Puteri Belqish Issabel also agrees that, the person was not carrying out duties as a journalist when she posted those things. “So by all accounts, the charges were unrelated to her occupation as a journalist.” she said.
However, Haziq Wahiduzzaman Sabaruddin think otherwise. He believes that her action is considered unethical and irresponsible, as she is an award winning journalist, she should have known the consequences of posing such post. “I’m not sure what her intention was, maybe attention, since, I have heard that she was from the recently shut down news agency, Utusan.” he said. “If that attention was the case, it is too far.” he added.
Comments