VETERAN lawmaker Lim Kit Siang said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa should not make “brave” statements about being more proactive in tackling cybersecurity issues in Malaysia while keeping mum over the troll farm scandal.
The Iskandar Puteri MP was responding to Annuar’s announcement yesterday (Sept 1) that the Government will take offensive, defensive and advocacy measures” to deal with the country’s cybersecurity problem.
Lim was also referring to news on Aug 5 that Meta has removed more than 600 Facebook and Instagram accounts from Malaysia for being part of a “troll farm” aimed at corrupting and manipulating public discourse via fake accounts.
The social media conglomerate’s Quarterly Adversarial Threat Report also disclosed that the accounts removed for violating their policy against Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB) were found to have links with the police force.
“Does the police running a troll farm come within the definition of what Annuar said when he announced that the Government would take ‘offensive, defensive and advocacy measures’ in tackling Malaysia’s cybersecurity issues?” Lim asked.
“Would Annuar give a report in Parliament on the issue when it resumes sitting on Oct 3?”
According to Meta’s report, a total of 596 accounts, 180 Pages and 11 Groups were removed from Facebook while 72 accounts were taken down from Instagram for being part of the network.
The report claimed the network originated in Malaysia and targeted domestic audiences in the country.
“The individuals behind it ran a troll farm – a coordinated effort by co-located operators to corrupt or manipulate public discourse by using fake accounts and misleading people about who is behind them,” read the report.
“They were active across the internet, including Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, and posted memes in Malay in support of the current government coalition, with claims of corruption among its critics.
The report further revealed that around US$6,000 (RM26,739) was spent for advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, paid for primarily in ringgit. – Sept 2, 2022
