The Malaysian Information Department will continue to curb the spread of unsubstantiated information which has been twisted in the social media by irresponsible parties, in preparation to face the coming 14th general election.

Its deputy director-general (management) Almain Ajirul said programmes to combat this misinformation such as talks to create awareness will be intensified from time to time until the date of the general election is announced.

"We are always ready to face the GE and have mobilised our machinery to inform the public not to be influenced by wrong information because it has been twisted.

"The society today uses social social but does not study the validity of the information of which they pass an opinion, and this results in many people supporting it even though they do not know the real story," he told reporters after attending a dinner event held in conjunction with the Kembara Media Negaraku programme last night.

He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has also launched a website 'sebenarnya.my' for the public to refer to in order to find out which are the real and false issues spread on the internet.

On the Kembara Media Negaraku programme, Almain said it is aimed at helping media practitioners disseminate information and promote the government's efforts and successes in implementing policies and providing services to the public.

"This will also strengthen the strategic communications network through information sharing and marketing between the Information Department and the mass media," he said.

As part of the three-day programme in the state, participants will be taken to visit the Besut Parliamentary Community Home, the project to stop coastal erosion in Pantai Tok Jembal and the Drawbridge project by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC).

- Bernama