RECEIVING unsolicited messages, be it via SMS or other messaging applications, is a common occurrence for anyone who owns a smartphone in Malaysia.
Some of these messages are helpful reminders, but most are either scams or advertisements.
Recently, WhatsApp users in the country began receiving messages warning of bribery, extortion, embezzlement, fraud and other forms of corruption in conjunction with the Sabah Election.
Did the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) send these messages as a public service announcement?
VERDICT:
FALSE
The MACC has denied sending any messages warning against corruption via WhatsApp related to the upcoming Sabah polls, reported Sinar Harian.
In an official statement, the MACC clarified that announcements are made only through the commission's official channels, including broadcasts on mainstream media.
"The public should be cautious and not easily deceived by messages from unknown sources, as there are concerns about being manipulated by irresponsible parties for various purposes," the MACC said Friday (Nov 21).
The MACC also reminds candidates and voters to refrain from engaging in any form of corrupt criminal activity. If such incidents occur, individuals are encouraged to report the information directly to the MACC.
The MACC also announced that its Operations Room has been operational since Nov 10 at five locations in Sabah, namely the MACC offices in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Keningau.
The public can report incidents or make referrals through official MACC channels, including the MACC Portal, the Corruption Complaints Portal, the toll-free hotline 1-800-88-6000, or the MACC Mobile application.
