When a lie snowballs out of control

Philip Golingai, The Star

“Just watched on YouTube. Najib in Sabah and he asked the crowd – rakyat Sabah sokong siapa? (Sabahans support who?) The crowd answered – MAHATHIR!!” a former journalist from Sarawak WhatsApp-ed me on Jan 20.

The 50-year-old Sarawakian was referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Really? Share here,” I replied.

“He asked that three times. Same answer,” he said.

 

“Maybe the video was edited,” I said.

The next morning the former journalist sent me a message in Malay:

“Najib: Can I hear the voice of the people of Sabah?

Sabahans: Boleh (Can).

Najib: The people of Sabah support who?

Sabahans: MAHATHIR.

Najib: Sokong? (Support?)

Sabahans: MAHATHIR.

Najib: Sokong?

Sabahans: MAHATHIR.

Feeling embarrassed and in an angry tone, Najib said: “If the rakyat … (inaudible) this is not all of rakyat Sabah”.

I watched the 23-second video clip and noted that there was a TV3 logo and the word Tawau in the video clip.

“I think this is fake. I don’t think TV3 will show such a thing. Plus, it says Tawau. Must be an old clip,” I told my friend.

After a noodle breakfast in Alor Setar, I took an Uber to PAS Kedah headquarters in Kota Sarang Semut. The 40-something Malay driver is a Perodua salesman and a voter in Pokok Sena, a parliamentary constituency which is next to Alor Setar.

“The support for Najib is getting bad,” said the former PAS supporter who told me he will be voting for Amanah.

“What happened?” I said.

And while driving, he showed me the video clipping of Najib.

“No la,” I said.

“I think it is a fake video. First of all, that clip was probably taken two years ago in Tawau. I remember that event as the Prime Minister went to Tawau and Kota Belud to show Shafie that Umno was still strong in Sabah.”

(At that time, sacked Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had quit Umno.)

“Secondly, if I remember correctly, Sabahans showed that they supported Najib in the two events,” I said.

Surprisingly, the Uber driver accepted my explanation.

Usually, “zombies” will argue that the video is genuine. This is because they want to believe what they what to believe.

A few days later, a high-powered “zombie slayer” sent me a video clip showing how the video was edited.

“Can I listen to the voice of the people of Sabah?” Najib asked in the unedited video.

“Boleh,” the crowd shouted.

“The people of Sabah tetap (for certain) sokong …,” Najib said.

“Najib,” the crowd shouted.

“Sokong …,” he said.

“Najib,” the crowd shouted.

Then it showed the same clip played at a slower speed. When slowed, the shout of “Najib” sounded like “Mahathir”.

The video ended with: “Kalau tak tipu, bukan Pakatan” (If it doesn’t cheat/lie, it is not Pakatan).

On Monday night in Bangsar, I had dinner with a 40-something businessman who is an armchair political analyst.

“Pakatan Harapan is getting stronger. It will win in GE14,” he said.

“On what basis?” I said.

“It is going to win more MP seats in Sabah,” he responded.

“Really?” I said, surprised that my state has turned so quickly.

“Last week Najib was booed by Sabahans,” he said, and he showed me the video clip.

“It is fake,” I said.

“How can you make a political assessment based on a fake video?”

On Thursday, former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee WhatsApp-ed me: “Whoever did this fake news has done a bit of work collecting the photos. It can stir hatred against both the Malaysian government and China. Fake news tactics has reached a higher level now.”

The president of SAPP, a Sabah-based opposition party, shared several photographs showing Malaysian-made police cars bearing Chinese words and livery which were spotted in Kuala Lumpur.

The message claimed that the “China police cars” showed that China has a special power in Malaysia. It also asked: “Nak sokong Umno BN lagi?” (Do you still want to support Umno BN?).

The reality was the police cars were from a movie titled The Original Sin which was shot in Putrajaya.

The movie is about the life of a policeman in a fictitious town known as Han City.

I’ve noticed that Yong has clamped down on fake news on the WhatsApp group he manages. Probably because he was a victim of fake news in GE13.

The DAP candidate Junz Wong had alleged that Najib paid RM50mil to SAPP to split opposition votes. On SMS and social media, the figure was bloated to RM80mil in the last three days of campaigning.

“There was no time to counter the fake news. And I also did not expect people to believe such a ridiculous lie,” said Yong.

“But many people did. Fake news at times is dramatic and convincing. It does influence people. Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone.”

Eventually, Wong, who was elected Likas assemblyman, published a retraction and apology over rumours spread by DAP.

However, as Yong said, the damage had already been done.