The health ministry has asked its staff to file a report with the relevant authorities if they see any inaccurate news, slander and “ridiculously odd” articles and posts pertaining to the ministry or healthcare issues.
In a circular sent to all hospitals and other health institutions dated Sept 23, the ministry said such reports were “adversely affecting the reputation of health institutions in the country”.
The ministry called for its staff at all levels to take action by informing the relevant authorities and all heads of health institutions to act against the offending publications, as such claims also affect the confidence of the rakyat in the national healthcare system.
“As an example, health ministry-related news published in Code Blue that are false or ridiculously odd,” the ministry’s corporate communication head Suriani Abdul Rahman said in the circular.
Code Blue is an independent health news portal operated by the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, a public policy research and advocacy organisation based in Kuala Lumpur.
Suriani reminded ministry personnel that if they come across fake or inaccurate news regarding the ministry, they should send them to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commissions’s (MCMC) SEBENARNYA.MY portal together with the actual and true version of the issue.
She added that publishing fake or inaccurate news is an offence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a one-year jail term or both if found guilty.
FMT has reached out to Code Blue for comment.
Meanwhile, doctors took to the Facebook page for the Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) section concerning house officers, medical officers and specialists (Schomos) to comment on the issue.
They ridiculed the directive saying some opinions are true in general but not to the ministry, which will brand them as fake.
Many had also asked the ministry to define what they mean by “ridiculously odd” news.
One comment read: “The letter carried correct advice. But what is their definition of ‘jelik’ (ridiculous). If it is common sense then okay but (what) if those issues brought up are valid?”
