Hakim Hayat
Those found spreading false
information can be charged under Section 34, Chapter 148 of the Public
Order Act, which carries a prison sentence and a fine if found guilty,
according to Acting Deputy Director of Information Sastra Sarina binti
Haji Julaini.
The acting deputy director reiterated laws
against the dissemination of false news, reports and statements during a
briefing as part of the Information Department under the Prime
Minister’s Office (PMO)’s Personal Contact Programme at the Kampong
Luagan Dudok Community Centre in Kampong Luagan Dudok, Mukim Keriam in
Tutong District yesterday. She added that those found to have
disseminated false reports in writing, verbally or through any other
false channels, or making false statements that can cause public
disorder, can be imprisoned for three years and fined BND3,000.
She said that under Section
4(1), Chapter 24 of the Sedition Act, anyone who does or attempts to
do, or makes preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do or
utter any words with a seditious intention; prints, publishes, sells,
offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication; as
well as imports any seditious publication, unless he has no reason to
believe that it is seditious, can be imprisoned for two years and fined
BND5,000 if found guilty.
The programme was part of
the Information Department’s efforts to foster closer ties between the
government and the people, and to disseminate information and programmes
as well as development of mukims.
Among the issues raised by the residents include infrastructure and public facilities in the area.
The programme also saw activities and an exhibition put up by the Kampong Luagan Dudok Village Consultative Council.
Residents were also briefed
on ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining cleanliness
and adhering to the advice and guidelines issued by the Ministry of
Health (MoH).
E-Government National
Centre System Manager Hajah Il-yasuriani binti Dato Paduka Haji Hamdani
shared the use of the e-Darussalam portal and Darussalam hotline 123.
Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin