SHAH ALAM: Selangor police prioritise fact-checking and accuracy before issuing official statements on incidents to prevent the spread of misleading information, says police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar.
He said the cautious and responsible approach could mean official statements were issued only after an incident had gone viral on social media.
Comm Shazeli stressed that the delay was not intentional but part of an important procedure to ensure all information shared with the public was accurate and verified.
“Police need to verify the facts of an incident first, as well as determine whether it falls under the jurisdiction of Selangor police before issuing any statement.
“Every official statement must be made responsibly, and the police must be prepared to be held accountable for the information shared with the public,” he said during a courtesy visit by the Crime Journalists Association (CIJA) on Wednesday.
Also present were Selangor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Mohd Zaini Abu Hassan and CIJA representatives Safeek Affendy Razali, Maszureen Hadzman, Farik Zolkepli and Nuraina Hanis Abd Halim.
Comm Shazeli said verifying facts was crucial to prevent inaccurate information, distortion of facts and the spread of fake news that could confuse the public.
“Accuracy must be prioritised to ensure the public receives explanations based on verified facts, rather than relying solely on information circulating on social media,” he said.
He added that Selangor police aimed to remain a reliable source of official information for the public on incidents.
Comm Shazeli also sought the cooperation and understanding of media practitioners, particularly those recognised by the Information Department, as well as the public, on the need for verification before official statements could be issued.
