Red Bean Army hard at work spreading rumors
(Malaysian Digest) – The ‘Red Bean Army’, a group of cybertroopers believed to be funded by DAP has been hard at work spreading rumors on the internet alleging the government has increased the prices of basic goods like petrol, cooking oil, cooking gas, sugar and flour in a bid to further fuel the public’s anger towards the ruling government.
According to a few online blogs, the rumors were spread mainly on social networking sites, namely Facebook and Twitter and has made many internet users angry at Barisan Nasional (BN) making them believe the Opposition coalition (Pakatan Rakyat) would have been a better option in ruling the federal government.
Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia, today reported that blog owner tunfaisal revealed several blatant lies spread by the Opposition; the first one regarding the increase of sugar price.
However some shops supporting Pakatan may have taken to increasing prices on their own.
Two other lies according to him, which was also made by PAS deputy Secretary-General, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi is the claim that cooking gas is now up RM2 to RM30, and that the price of Gardenia breads has also gone up.
Syed Azman was found to have spread the rumor on cooking gas price increase via his Twitter account which was later retweeted by Opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Gullible members of the public will believe all this and be manipulated in the process.”
“That is why we should not support liars, because when they lie and we share, like and retweet their lies, we are merely helping them to spread the rumors and indirectly we too become responsible in duping the public,” the blog owner said via http://tunfaisal.blogspot.com last Saturday.
This picture showing a price hike of the White Gardenia bread is untrue; according to Gardenia the tag on the left is from a different Gardenia product, sliced Sandwich Bun (Burger bun). Pic: Gardenia’s Blog
Meanwhile, another blog, The Flying Kick, claims that several shops have taken to increasing prices after the recent 13th general election (GE13) in an attempt to sabotage the ruling government.
“Malaysia is now faced with a wave of rumors and untruths. It is believed that Anwar is behind this. DAP is helping him from behind by providing the means to do so,” the blog mentioned.
Because of these rumors, Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd has had to issue a statement refuting the price increase.
This act by the Opposition is seen as their means of strengthening their earlier claims that the government will begin increasing the prices of basic goods after GE13.
