JOHOR BAHRU – Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has denied the authenticity of a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate list that has been circulating on social media and WhatsApp ahead of the Johor state election.
Onn Hafiz, who is also the Johor BN chairman, stressed that the list was false and urged the public not to believe or spread unverified information.
He said any official announcement regarding BN candidates would only be made through the party’s official channels.
“I have taken note of a Barisan Nasional candidate list that is currently being circulated on social media and WhatsApp.
“I would like to emphasise that the list is fake and untrue,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Earlier, a purported list of candidates set to contest all 56 state seats under the BN banner went viral, including incumbent Machap assemblyman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Onn Hafiz said that during election periods, various forms of slander, rumours, provocations and fake news were expected to be spread by certain parties to create confusion among the public.
As such, he reminded the public to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of information before accepting it as fact.
“I therefore urge the people of Johor to practise tabayyun (fact-checking), verify information first and obtain news from official sources before accepting or sharing it,” he said.
He added that the spread of false information could not only cause confusion but also potentially affect social harmony and the democratic process.
At the same time, he called on all parties to conduct politics in a mature, ethical and responsible manner throughout the election campaign period.
The Johor state election will be held following the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly on Monday.