Free and footloose: Xi arriving at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of the Chinese National Day in Beijing, a few days after the many rumours and even some news reports of him being put under house arrest. – Reuters
MOST of us have become accustomed to reading fake news, especially on social media. These often have detrimental consequences when users accept such misinformation without verifying the content or lack the means to check if they are true.
Rumours have thrived on social media platforms for long, but last week, mainstream media resorted to the same despicable act when it reported the purported house arrest of Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
