Tag Archives: Malaysia

MPH Free Books : Don’t Fall For This Scam!

Is MPH giving away free books on financial planning and stocks?! Find out what’s going on, and warn your family and friends!

Updated @ 2023-09-26 : Added a new version of this scam
Updated @ 2023-08-14 : Added new versions of this scam
Originally posted @ 2023-05-20

Watch Out For MPH Free Books Scam!

Scammers are running Facebook advertisements that claim MPH is giving away free books because it has either achieved 500,000 fans, or is shutting down its bookstores!

🎉To celebrate MPH Books breaking 500,000 fans in Malaysia, thank you for your support
👋MPH Books specially prepares best-selling books on financial planning and stocks to give to everyone for free. I hope everyone has to help!
limited quantity available. (Free shipping)

📢📢 Sorry everyone, I have to say goodbye to everyone
Due to the continuous decline in store performance, the store cannot continue to operate normally
👋👋So the head office decided to close the store and give away the remaining financial and stock books in the store to everyone for free. I hope everyone has to help!
📣📣Finally, thank you again for your long-term support and trust. The book donation activity is the only feedback activity we can do at present!
limited quantity available. (free shipping available)

🎉To celebrate the 99 Supermarket Malaysian branch exceeding 1,000, thank you for your support
❤️99 Supermarket specially prepares best-selling books on stocks and gives them to everyone for free
🔥The number of stock books is limited, while supplies last

👋👋对不起真的很遗憾，这次真的要和大家说再见了！
由于店内销量持续下滑，书店无法继续经营了！
所以公司决定关闭本店，并将店内剩余的金融股票书籍免费赠送给大家，希望对大家有帮助！
数量有限，送完为止。（可免费邮寄）

👋👋Sorry really sorry, this time I really want to say goodbye to everyone!
The bookstore can’t continue to operate as sales in the store continue to decline!
So the company decided to close the store and give away the remaining financial stock books in the store for free, hope it will help everyone!
Limited quantity until delivery lasts. (Free shipping available)

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MPH Free Books Scam : What You Need To Know!

This MPH free book scam is being promoted heavily on Facebook in May 2023, so please alert your family and friend!

Fact #1 : MPH Did Not Close Bookstores In 2023

MPH closed many of its physical stores since June 2020, as it shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns to an online store with a “digitally-driven omnichannel business model”.

MPH has not announced closing down any further bookstores in 2023.

Fact #2 : MPH Reported These Pages / Ads As Fake

MPH is aware of these fake advertisements being run by scam Facebook pages, posting this scam alert on May 9, 2023:

⚠️𝐅𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!⁣⚠️⁣⁣

Hey readers, we noticed that irresponsible parties have been impersonating the MPH brand by creating fake pages and ads to confuse and lure our customers to share their data.⁣⁣⁣

Please note that MPH is not associated in any way with these pages and we DO NOT run any free book giveaways nor do we request customers to PM us your personal details.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our followers and customers for updating us about these pages. We sincerely thank YOU for your continuous support!⁣

Stay vigilant & protect yourself from scams!⁣⁣

#fakepagesalert #scammeralert

Fact #3 : MPH Is A Business, Not A Charity

Please do NOT be naive. MPH is a business, not a charity. Just because it hits 500,000 fans in Malaysia, it’s not going to give away its books.

Heck, why should it give away books even if it’s closing down its bookstores? It would be more logical for MPH to offer discounts to clear its books, so it won’t lose so much money.

In fact, MPH itself pointed out in its scam warning – “we DO NOT run any free book giveaways“. Why should they? They are a corporation whose business is not make money, not a charity to give you free books!

Fact #4 : Giveaways Were Not Posted In Official Website / FB Page

If MPH was really giving away free books, it would have posted the offer on:

its official website (mphonline.com), or
its official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mphclick/)

These scams are being run off fake Facebook pages that are brand new, and have nothing to do with the real MPH:

MPH Group Publishing
MPH Book
MPH English Bookstore

Fact #5 : MPH Does Not Use WhatsApp To Communicate

MPH offers a multitude of contact options by email or telephone number. What it does not have is a WhatsApp account. So when scammers message you to collect your “free books” by messaging a WhatsApp number, be warned!

Please add librarian Gek Tiang’s Whatsapp message ”Pm“ to get free stock books (free shipping) Whatsapp: https://xxxx.xx/601170131707

Fact #6 : Scammers Will Try To Scare You

Scammers will try to scare you into contacting them, by telling you that stock is running out. Just ignore them!

There are only 3 free places left, which have been reserved for you, please add and leave a message as soon as possible Whatsapp : https://xxxx.xx/601170131707

There are many friends who have claimed it, please tell us whether you have added it successfully! If you do not add or reply, it means that you will give up the quota by default and automatically transfer it to the next friend. Thank you for your understanding!

Fact #7 : One Victim Lost RM480K To Investment Scam!

In November 2022, a 60 year-old housewife from Port Dickson fell for a similar “free book” scam, and lost almost RM480,000.

After being offered the free book on Facebook, she was asked to join a WhatsApp group called Family Discussion, where she was asked to convinced to “invest”.

The WhatsApp group administrator instructed her to download an application called Forza, and open a savings account. She was then asked to deposit money into certain bank accounts, and upload the slips using that Forza app as proof.

The lady withdrew her savings and borrowed from her children and friends to invest RM476,100. However, when she wanted to withdraw the interest paid by the company, her account was blocked. The group administrator told her that she would need to deposit an additional RM427,200 to withdraw the interest.

That was when the lady realised she had been scammed, and lodged a police report. By then, it was too late – she had already lost every sen she “invested”.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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How To Get Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

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If you want the very best mobile + broadband deals from Maxis, there is only one way – you must first quit Maxis! Here is how it worked for me…

Don’t Bother Asking For Special Deals On Maxis Mobile / Broadband!

I have been a loyal Maxis customer for many years, and every time my contract comes up for renewal, I will ask for special deals to stay on. The most I will get is a free smartphone to renew my contract for another 2 years.

But finally, I had enough. I was stuck with 0-1 bar of mobile connectivity from March until September 2023, and Maxis wouldn’t even compensate me for the poor reception. So I gritted my teeth and waited out my contract.

Once my contract expired, I quickly decided that I would save over RM1,900 per year migrating to Digi. But out of (misplaced?) loyalty to Maxis, I called their customer care hotline, and even went to a Maxis Center to check if there are any deals for me to stay on.

As usual, Maxis had nothing to offer me as a loyal customer. But there was a surprise for me this year – I will not be receiving a free smartphone to continue my contract, unless I choose to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans… with an increase, of course!

So learn from my experience – don’t bother asking Maxis for any special deals to stay on as a loyal customer. To be fair, other telcos likely don’t offer deals to loyal customers to stay on as well. But I have only been a Maxis customer, and can only speak from my own experience.

How To Get Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

I discovered that the only way that Maxis will ever offer me any special deals to stay on, is if I actually quit their service. And even then, Maxis only did it at the very cusp of my migration process.

When Maxis was ready to hand over my five mobile numbers to Digi, a member of their retention department called me and offered these great deals to stay on.

Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month

First, I should point out that my existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.

However, Maxis only allows a single Share 48 supplementary line with 30 GB of data for the RM98 principal line. So I have to pay a ridiculous RM38 for the remaining three supplementary lines, with just 1 GB of data.

The total pre-tax cost was RM399 per month, or RM4,788 per year.

Maxis 4G Plans	4G Data	Cost
Postpaid 98	Unlimited	RM 98
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
100 Mbps Fibre	Unlimited	RM 139
Total Before Tax	–	RM 399

300 Mbps Broadband Offer : RM100 Per Month

First, Maxis agreed to match Digi’s offer of just RM100 per month for 300 Mbps. That’s RM39 (28%) cheaper than my current 100 Mbps plan, and RM49 (33%) off their current 300 Mbps plan.

Over two years, I will save RM1,176! But I was only getting this special offer because I was really quitting Maxis.

Bundled Broadband	Maxis Normal	Maxis Special	Digi
100 Mbps	RM 129	RM 90	RM 90
300 Mbps	RM 149	RM 100	RM 100

Special Maxis 5G Offer #1 : RM245 Per Month

For the five mobile lines, Maxis offered me a RM245 plan, which would give every user 120 GB of 5G data per month.

There is a 2-year contract, but Maxis will throw in five free smartphones – a Vivo Y36 (8 GB + 256 GB) or equivalent per account.

Not only does that give all of us a heck of a lot of mobile data, and a new smartphone per person, it is also RM15 cheaper than my current package!

Maxis 5G Plans	5G Data	Cost
Special Postpaid 49	120 GB	RM 49
Special Postpaid 49	120 GB	RM 49
Special Postpaid 49	120 GB	RM 49
Special Postpaid 49	120 GB	RM 49
Special Postpaid 49	120 GB	RM 49
Total Before Tax	–	RM 245

Special Maxis 5G Offer #2 : RM281 Per Month

Maxis also offered me a more expensive RM281 monthly plan, consisting of a principal line with 300 GB of data, and four supplementary lines with 50 GB of data.

It would come with a more expensive HONOR 90 smartphone with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage, with a 2-year contract.

I should point out that the supplementary lines are not only RM10 cheaper, they come with 50X more data, and 5G connectivity!!! Makes you want to tear your hair out, doesn’t it?

Maxis 5G Plans	5G Data	Cost
Special Postpaid 169	300 GB	RM 169
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Total Before Tax	–	RM 281

Special Maxis 4G Offer : Only RM200 Per Month!

If I prefer to stick with 4G connectivity only, Maxis offered me a 4G-only plan for just RM200 a month, without contract or free smartphone.

Basically, my supplementary lines would now get a ton of data, and I would save RM60 per month on my existing Maxis package!

Maxis 4G Plans	4G Data	Cost
Special Postpaid 48	70 GB	RM 48
Special Postpaid 48	70 GB	RM 48
Special Postpaid 48	70 GB	RM 48
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Special Postpaid 28	50 GB	RM 28
Total Before Tax	–	RM 200

Why I Declined The Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

While the special deals offered by the Maxis retention department were enticing – free phones! more data! more speed! – Digi still offered a substantially better deal.

My parents, for example, do not need 50 GB of data. They just needed something more reasonable than 1 GB, and I wanted to pay a more reasonable price for their lines.

On top of that, staying with Maxis would not solve my biggest problem – poor connectivity. I have been suffering from poor reception for six months (and counting), and sticking with Maxis for another 2 years was unthinkable.

Maxis may have once been known for having “better coverage” than other telcos. But if they cannot restore proper connectivity after 6 months (and counting), it’s time to move on. I also did not like the fact that they refused to compensate me for the poor connectivity all those months.

But this article is not about dissing Maxis. I wrote this article to share with you the best way to get such special deals from Maxis.

I called them, I even spent time at the Maxis Centre to talk to the staff. There was simply NO special deal or offer for an existing customer. You must literally quit Maxis – sign an agreement to port out to another telco, and be on the verge of switching, before Maxis will ever offer you these special deals.

Even if you want to stick with Maxis, you should still quit and port out to another telco at the end of your contract. This way, you will get access to these special deals. You will only lose out if you stay loyal.

As for me, I bid adieu to Maxis, and started my journey with Digi hours later. It was easy. You should give it a try!

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Switching From Maxis To Digi Saves Me RM1.9K / Year!

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I just saved over RM1,900 per year by simply switching from Maxis to Digi! Here is what happened!

Switching From Maxis To Digi Saved Me RM1.9K / Year!

My contract with Maxis just expired, and I decided to see if it was worth renewing with them, or switching to Digi. I had earlier asked my neighbours using Digi, and most of them seemed happy with their service.

So I compared the latest mobile and broadband packages from both Maxis and Digi, and I was shocked by how much cheaper Digi was, compared to Maxis. Take a look at what I found!

Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month

My existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.

The total cost was RM423 per month, or RM5,075.28 per year. Maxis offered to let me continue with this 4G-only package, but I would no longer get any free smartphone for a 2 year contract.

Maxis 4G Plans	4G Data	Cost
Postpaid 98	Unlimited	RM 98
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
4G Backup	Unlimited	RM 0
100 Mbps Fibre	Unlimited	RM 139
Total Before Tax	–	RM 399
6% Service Tax	–	RM 23.94
TOTAL PAYABLE	–	RM 422.94

New Maxis 5G Package : RM445 Per Month

If I wanted a free smartphone with a 2 year contract, I would need to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans. The existing RM98 4G plan has been replaced by a new RM109 5G plan – a RM 11 per month premium for 5G connectivity.

From what I understand, tying it with Maxis fibre broadband would still get me unlimited mobile data, but only on 4G. The 5G data is limited to 150 GB, which is more than plenty especially since 5G connectivity is limited.

What I cannot understand is why Maxis continues to limit this RM109 principal line to just one RM48 Share line. If I want all four supplementary lines to have more than 1 GB of data, I would need to upgrade my principal line to their RM199 plan! Ridiculous!

The only good news is they dropped the price of their 100 Mbps broadband from RM139 to RM129. But it makes more sense to upgrade to 300 Mbps for just RM149 per month. Even so, the new Maxis package works out to an unpalatable RM572.40 per month, or RM6,868.80 per year!

Maxis 5G Plans	5G Data	Cost
Postpaid 199	4G : Unlimited 5G : 300 GB	RM 199
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
4G Backup	Unlimited	RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre	Unlimited	RM 149
Total Before Tax	–	RM 540
6% Service Tax	–	RM 32.40
TOTAL PAYABLE	–	RM 572.40

Sorry, mum and dad, you guys are just going to have to put up with just 1 GB of data if we stick with Maxis.

With their sacrifice, I can get by with just paying Maxis RM445.20 per month, or RM5,342.40 per year. That’s a small 5% increase of RM267.12 per year.

This new package would also get me one of these smartphones with a 24-month contract:

Samsung A14
vivo A78
HONOR 90 Lite

Maxis 5G Plans	5G Data	Cost
Postpaid 109	4G : Unlimited 5G : 150 GB	RM 109
Postpaid Share 48	30 GB	RM 48
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
Talk and Surf 1	1 GB	RM 38
4G Backup	Unlimited	RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre	Unlimited	RM 149
Total Before Tax	–	RM 420
6% Service Tax	–	RM 25.20
TOTAL PAYABLE	–	RM 445.20

Digi 5G + 4G Package : Only RM286 Per Month!

But when I checked out the Digi plans, they completely wipe out Maxis.

The Digi RM90 principal line offers free 5G connectivity, with 60 GB of data per month. Unlike Maxis, tying up with Digi Fibre Broadband does not give me unlimited mobile data, but that’s okay – 60 GB is plenty.

More importantly, Digi lets me add up to six supplementary family lines, and their cheapest RM20 family line comes with 10 GB of data per month! That goes up to 15 GB with a 1-year contract, and 25 GB with a 2-year contract!

On top of that – Digi offers 300 Mbps fibre broadband for only RM 100 per month! Granted – there is no 4G backup, but that’s RM49 cheaper than Maxis! Would you pay RM49 per month for “4G backup”? Heck, no!

The Digi package is a mix of 4G and 5G, but that’s okay, because my parents no longer have to worry about how much data they have left.

Digi Plans	Data	Cost
Postpaid 90	5G : 60 GB	RM 90
Postpaid Family 20	4G : 25 GB	RM 20
Postpaid Family 20	4G : 25 GB	RM 20
Postpaid Family 20	4G : 25 GB	RM 20
Postpaid Family 20	4G : 25 GB	RM 20
4G Backup	NA	NA
300 Mbps Fibre	Unlimited	RM 100
Total Before Tax	–	RM 270
6% Service Tax	–	RM 16.20
TOTAL PAYABLE	–	RM 286.20

And here is the cherry on the top – for a 24-month contract, Digi gives you one of these two bonuses:

a free smartphone worth up to RM1,099 (HONOR 9o Lite / Samsung A14), or
extra 60 GB of mobile data, or
unlimited social media data, or
5 GB of international roaming data in 70 countries

Needless to say, this Digi package is a much better deal, as it only costs RM286 per month, or RM3,434.40 per year!

How Much I Save Over 2 Years Switching From Maxis To Digi

In the end, I switched to the Digi Postpaid 90 principal line, and gave all of my supplementary lines a decent 25 GB of mobile data.

Over a standard two-year contract, I will end up saving RM 3,281.76, and get a free smartphone worth RM 1,099. That’s a total saving of RM 4,380.76! Just think of what you can do with all that money!

If I renewed with Maxis, I would have upgraded to their new 5G plan to get that free smartphone and unlimited data. However, my parents would have to continue suffering with 1 GB of data, and I would have to pay an additional RM 3,816 over 2 years compared to Digi!

If I wanted my parents to have a decent amount of mobile data, I would have to really pay Maxis through my nose, and fork out an extra RM 6,868.80 – exactly twice of what the Digi package costs. It just doesn’t make sense to do that.

No matter how I calculate, it just doesn’t make sense (sen?) to stick with Maxis. I will save anywhere from RM1,900 to RM3,400 per year switching to Digi. It really pays to shop around!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

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Did Toxic Fukushima Water Kill Fish + Birds In Kuching?!

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Did the toxic Fukushima waste water just kill fish and birds in Kuching, Malaysia?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Toxic Fukushima Water Killed Fish + Birds In Kuching!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, which claims to show hundreds of fish in Kuching killed by the toxic Fukushima waste water. It’s paired with warnings like this:

How to explain this happen here in Kuching 🫤🤔

Not too long ago, the pigeons at our waterfront drop dead from poisoning ☹️🫤

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Video-2023-09-18-at-12.33.24.mp4?_=1

Truth : Fukushima Water Did Not Kill Fish + Birds In Kuching!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Video Was Recorded In Kuching

The viral video was streamed live by Sarawak Edition at 12:14 PM on Sunday, 17 September 2023.

Sarawak Edition said that it recorded the video at Jalan Rock in Kuching, near the Shell petrol station, and an Indian temple.

I managed to geolocate the exact location the video was recorded (Google Map link) to the monsoon drain next to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Jalan Rock, Min Chun Garden, in Kuching, Sarawak.

On the left is the Google Map Street View taken on March 2019, and on the right is a screenshot from the video showing the same electrical pole and high-rise building.

Fact #2 : It Was A Monsoon Drain

If you look carefully at the video, you can see that it is a monsoon drain, and not a river.

According to the person on the video, the dead fish appears to be tilapia. That’s not surprising – tilapia are hardy freshwater fish that can often be found in these monsoon drains.

I should point out that monsoon drains collect waste water from the surrounding area to be treated or released into the sea. The waste water goes into the sea, not the other way around!

Fact #3 : Fish Are Sometimes Found Dead In Monsoon Drains

Even though tilapia are hardy fish, they can sometimes be found dead in monsoon drains. That can occur if toxic substances are poured into the monsoon drain, or drains that flow in.

In February 2022, for example, tilapia fish were found dead in Kulai, Johor. Similarly, over 1,000 dead fish was found floating in a monsoon drain in Taman Seraya, Ampang in October 2014.

Obviously, all those cases have nothing to do with the release of the Fukushima waste water in Japan on August 24, 2023.

Fact #4 : Fukushima Waste Water Cannot Fly…

Fukushima is over 5,000 kilometres away from Kuching, Sarawak, as the crow flies. It is quite impossible for the waste water released by the nuclear power station there to flow all the way here.

Even if the Fukushima waste water is a homing torpedo designed to attack Kuching, it would have to flow past Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, to reach Sarawak. There would have been reports of dead fish from those countries, but of course, nothing of that sort happened.

But most importantly, the dead fish is located deep inland – some 20 kilometres away from the nearest seaside.

Even if the Japanese somehow designed the Fukushima waste water to attack Kuching, the waste water cannot fly over land to kill tilapia fish 20 kilometres inland!

Fact #5 : Pigeons Were Found Dead On 2 August 2023

It is true that 41 pigeons were found mysteriously dead at the Kuching Esplanade. However, that incident occurred on the morning of 2 August 2023.

The Fukushima-Daiichin NPS only started releasing its treated waste water more than 3 weeks later – on Thursday, 24 August 2023. So the dead birds were definitely not killed by the release of the treated radioactive water from Fukushima…

Unless the Japanese invented a time machine to go back in time to kill those birds with the treated waste water? Now that might make for a good movie plot!

Fact #6 : Kuching Pigeons Were Likely Poisoned

The Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) director Dr. Adrian Susin Ambud said that the department collected samples, and a preliminary investigation ruled out avian influenza (bird flu) as their cause of death. He believes that the pigeons were most likely poisoned.

The section of the Kuching Waterfront where the dead pigeons were found is known as a place where the public often feeds a large flock of pigeons. In fact, in this photo, you can see some bird food scattered on the roadside.

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Traffic Lights Now Have CCTV Cameras To Catch Drivers?!

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Do traffic lights in Malaysia now have CCTV cameras to catch drivers crossing the white line?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Traffic Lights Have CCTV To Catch Drivers!

People are sharing a photo of a JPJ (Road Transport Department) traffic offence fine issued to a driver called Koh Chip Wee.

They claim that he was fined after a CCTV camera at the traffic light caught him stopping his vehicle over the white line. This example warns motorists that they could be fined RM2,000 or jailed for up to 6 months for this offence:

It’s a RM 2K fine or 6 months jail for waiting across the white line at traffic lights monitored by cameras, the notices hv already started going out by post… Cheers

Other people are sharing the photo with this audio message of a man warning people that traffic lights in Kuantan, Pahang, now have CCTV cameras that are designed to catch motorists who stop over the white line.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Audio-2023-09-14-at-15.28.40.mp3?_=1

Truth : Traffic Lights Do Not Have CCTV To Catch Drivers!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : You Can Be Fined For Stopping Over White Line

First, let me just confirm that this part is true – motorists may be fined up to RM2,000, or jailed for up to 6 months, if they are caught stopping any part of their vehicles on any zebra crossing, including crossing that unbroken white line at any traffic light.

Mana-mana individu yang melakukan kesalahan boleh dikenakan denda tidak melebihi RM2,000 atau dipenjarakan selama tempoh tidak melebihi enam bulan.

Any individual who commits an offense may be fined not exceeding RM2,000 or imprisoned for a period not exceeding six months.

In other words – this is a serious offence, with serious consequences. You must stop your vehicle before the unbroken white line at all traffic lights.

Most of us motorists never think about this. So this is a timely warning. Please SHARE this warning with your family and friends!

Fact #2 : Traffic Lights Currently Do Not Have CCTV Cameras

The traffic lights currently do not have any CCTV cameras installed to catch drivers crossing the white line, or committing any other traffic offences.

That device you see on many traffic lights these days is an active infra-red sensor. Such infra-red sensors are used to determine the presence of vehicles, for traffic control.

If the sensor does not detect the presence of a vehicle waiting, the traffic light for that lane may skip a turn to allow vehicles using other lanes to go through the junction for a longer period of time.

In the viral photo, the angle of the photo taken indicates that it was not taken by any camera attached to the traffic light. The photo was taken from behind the vehicle and even shows the traffic light itself.

Fact #3 : Driver Was Fined For Running A Red Light

The motorist in this case was not fined for stopping his vehicle over the white line at the traffic light.

If you look closely at the notice, you can see that he was actually fined for running a red light. In addition, he was only fined RM300 for the offence, not RM2,000.

Kesalahan : Gagal mematuhi isyarat merah pada isyarat lalulintas

Offence : Failed to obey red light at traffic light

Recommended : Warning – PDRM Parking Fine Scam Alert!

Fact #4 : Only Known Traffic Light CCTV Camera Was A Test

The only known CCTV camera (with AI technology) that was installed for the purpose of catching traffic offences started operating in Miri on 4 July 2023.

This AI Violation Detection CCTV camera is designed to automatically monitor and record driver behaviour at the intersection, including:

collecting data on vehicle speed and details
automatically detecting and recording speeding vehicles
recording driver offences like using mobile phones, smoking, and not wearing seatbelts while driving

However, this CCTV camera with AI technology was installed as a proof-of-concept trial that will only last 6 months.

The trial period would be six months and the results will be presented to the ministry to decide on the next course of action.

It may be just a matter of time before such cameras are deployed in Malaysia, and other countries around the world. But right now, there really are no CCTV cameras installed at traffic lights to catch drivers committing traffic offences like stopping over the white line.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Marshall Minor III Wireless Earphones Scam Alert!

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Please watch out for the Marshall Minor III wireless earphones scam! Take a look at the scam, and find out what the facts really are!

Marshall Minor III Wireless Earphones Scam Alert!

Scammers are running Facebook ads that promote an awesome discount for the Marshall Minor III wireless earphones! Here is one recent example:

😣”Frustrating” 😣I had to queue for 5 hours at IOI City Mall to buy MARSHALL MINOR III wireless headphones for only RM179 (original price RM596), I was surprised because I thought they only sold directly I heard it’s open for sale online in 2 more days https://www.marshall-ash.asia/ms And also get the same discount as buying at the store. Free shipping nationwide.

But the 4 hours of queuing was worth it. As a Marshall fan, I was very excited when I heard the news that the Minor III series was coming out. And don’t waste your time waiting, the design is very beautiful, more stylish than the old version 💯 Great sound quality. Clear bus, fast Bluetooth connection, suitable for all types of devices, super battery life, 5 hours of continuous use and 25 hours with charging box, waterproof. The best thing about these headphones is the close-to-ear design. Comfortable, can play sports without worrying about falling. If you don’t buy it, you will be very disappointed.

I let my colleagues borrow it to play games because it sounded so realistic. There is no delay in movement.
Many people ask me if the store still has promotions? I just saw information that the store has a discount in the next 2 days. Order quickly. At the end of the promotion, the price will return to the original price of RM596. I leave the purchase link here for those who want to buy: https://www.marshall-ash.asia/ms

Recommended : Bantuan Rakyat Malaysia Scam Alert!

Marshall Minor III Offer : Why Is It A Scam?!

This is yet another example of SCAMS circulating on Facebook, and here are there reasons why…

Fact #1 : Marshall Minor III Price Absurdly Low

The first thing about scams involving electronics, is that they often promise ridiculous great deals. If it’s too good to be true, it often is just a scam.

In this particular scam, scammers are offering the Marshall Minor III wireless earphones for just RM179 (US$39). That’s absurd, as the Marshall Minor II wireless earphones has an official retail price of $159 (approximately RM699)!

Marshall is a high-end audiophile brand, and its electronics are never cheap. Even if they offer a discount, it wouldn’t be anything like 70% to 75%. That’s just ridiculous.

For your safety, here are legit purchase options online for the Marshall Minor III earbuds :

Malaysia : Shopee | Shopee | Shopee
Singapore : Shopee
United States : Amazon | Amazon
United Kingdom : Amazon

Fact #2 : Facebook Advertisement Is Fake

The Facebook advertisement appears to be created by a handsome influencer called 𝐀𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐠 瑾.鍾.瑾. with 5.5 million followers.

But that’s what the scammers put in the intro. If you look carefully, this scam page only has 13 followers!

Recommended : Warning – PDRM Parking Fine Scam Alert!

Fact #3 : That Is “Push” Puttichai Kasetsin

The page is not owned by any influencer or digital creator called 𝐀𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐠 瑾.鍾.瑾.

Those are actually photos of Puttichai Kasetsin – a Thai actor, model, DJ and TV host who is also known as “Push”.

Fact #4 : IOI City Mall Does Not Have A Marshall Outlet

The claim by these scammers that Alvinn Chong queued up for 5 hours at the IOI City Mall to buy the Marshall Minor III wireless earphones is easily debunked.

If you check the IOI City Mall tenant listing, you will quickly discover that it does not have a Marshall outlet.

Fact #5 : Queue Photos Are From Vietnam

The two photos which claim to show long queues for the Marshall Minor III wireless earphones were not taken in Malaysia. They were actually taken in Vietnam.

This photo does not show people in IOI City Mall queueing up outside a Marshall outlet. It actually shows people queuing up for the opening of the 15th Pandora store at the Long Bien Aeon Mall, on 28 April 2022.

Incidentally, Pandora is a Danish jewellery brand, and does not sell Marshall audio products…

The second queue photo is also from Vietnam, but taken many years ago on 11 November 2017. It does not show people queuing up to buy any Marshall products either.

They were actually queuing up at Royal City Shopping Center in Hanoi, for the opening ceremony of the second H&M store in Vietnam.

Fact #6 : Scam Website Not Affiliated With ASH Asia

ASH Asia is an authorised distributor of Marshall products in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

However, the scam page (https://www.marshall-ash.asia/ms) has nothing to do with ASH Asia, whose official Marshall Minor III page is https://ash-asia.com/ms.

On top of that, ASH Asia does not sell the Marshall Minor III directly (like the scam page). Instead, ASH Asia sells the wireless earphones through Shopee and Lazada.

In fact, if you check the main domain itself, you will get an error message, stating:

Your domain name has been successfully pointed! Please publish a Landing Page with the above domain name to use the service. Thank you!

This not only gives it away as a scam website, it also suggests that the scammers are operating out of Vietnam.

Fact #7 : Scam Website Admits Selling Fake Marshall Minor III

Ironically, the scam website itself has a disclaimer, warning potential buyers that it is not selling genuine Marshall Minor III wireless earphones, but a replica instead…

Most people won’t notice it because if you click to order, the website is designed to skip past this warning.

Fact #8 : Package Apparently Contained “Trash”?

To assure you that this is safe, the scammers say that you only need to pay on delivery. Sounds good, doesn’t it? That guarantees that you will at least receive the item, doesn’t it?

Not quite, as one person who claimed to have purchased from this scam website explained…

I was attracted and clicked in, filling in my address and phone number. Three days later, I got a call saying that my package would arrive through DHL-COD, and asked me to make sure I was home.

I started looking forward to it, but when I thought about it, I became more suspicious. Since when does DHL provide Cash On Delivery service? I can’t believe they would dare to pay for first-class service without any payment from me. I figured it might be a scam!

What’s the scam? You may not have any doubts when you receive the package. When I open it immediately and take a look, then I realized it was full of garbage. [Unfortunately] I had already paid the delivery person, who ran away.

我被吸引点了进去，填了地址电话。跟着三天后有电话来说我的包裹会到，DHL-COD的，确定我在家等。我开始很期待。跟着想，越想越不对。DHL有COD的服务咩？我还没过账他们就这么敢与服务一流到我不敢相信。我猜可能是诈骗！骗什么？当你收到包裹时是不会怀疑，立刻打开来看的。然后才发现里面是垃圾。人跑了钱给了。。。

If true, the scam involves giving you an empty package filled with trash to receive your cash payment. After which, you have no recourse.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade?!

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Is the Klang Valley going to be hit by a 4-day water cut for a major pipe upgrade in October 2023?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : 4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

People are sharing a TikTok video together with this warning about a 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley in October 2023:

Pls save enough water from 13 to 16-Oct-2023 as Klang valley pipe water upgrade exercise

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WhatsApp-Video-2023-09-12-at-08.55.16.mp4?_=2

Truth : 4-Day Water Cut Is For 2021 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Is Genuine But Old

First, let me just confirm that the video is genuine, and was posted by the @SelangorTV channel on TikTok. However, it is an old video from 2021, and has nothing to do with any water cut or pipe upgrade exercise in 2023.

Fact #2 : Air Selangor Did Not Announce Major Water Cuts

There are always minor water cuts to fix broken pipes and other localised issues, which you can check on the Air Selangor app.

For major water cuts that affect entire states or regions, Air Selangor will issue press releases, and make public announcements. However, there has been no such announcements in September 2023.

Fact #3 : Video Referred To 2021 Water Cut

If you look carefully at 00:54 of the video clip, there is a single frame that shows the date of the 4-day water cut – 9 AM on 13 October 2021.

Fact #4 : 4-Day Water Cut Happened In October 2021

The 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley was a momentous event caused considerable hardship for many people, and businesses. However, it occurred almost two years ago.

On 1 October 2021, Air Selangor announced a 4-day water cut from 13-16 October 2021, to allow it to complete critical upgrading and maintenance works at the Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP).

Here was the original Air Selangor press release announcing the commencement of the 4-day water cut:

Scheduled Upgrading and Maintenance Works for Air Selangor’s Critical Asset in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) Commence

Posted on 13/10/2021

Kuala Lumpur – Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) would like to inform that the upgrading and maintenance works for critical assets in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) has commenced at 9:00 am today according to schedule as announced on 1 October 2021.

The maintenance works for the critical assets are expected to be completed at 11:00 pm, 13 October 2021. Water supply will be distributed in stages starting from 5:00 pm, 14 October 2021 once the water supply system has been stabilised. The duration of the water supply disruption and recovery in the affected areas will vary depending on the distance of the consumers’ premises and the water pressure at the distribution system. Water supply is expected to be fully restored at 9:00 pm, 16 October 2021.

A complete list of the affected areas, Public Water Taps, and Commercial Water Filling Stations is as listed in Appendix A and can also be obtained at hentitugas.airselangor.com.

Air Selangor will be mobilising alternative water supply to critical premises such as hospitals, dialysis centres, COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) and Vaccination Centres (PPV) as well as for funerals.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

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Did the radioactive Fukushima waste water just kill thousands of fish in Penang?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Fukushima Water Killed Thousands Of Fish In Penang!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, which claims to show that thousands of fish floating on the water, after being killed by the radioactive Fukushima waste water!

Nuclear sudah sampai pantai Penang… Mati penang

Nuclear [contamination/radiation] has arrived at Penang beaches. Penang is dead.

If it is true, horrible japanese

The Japanese is helping America to depopulate the world

Truth : Fukushima Water Did Not Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Happened On 26 August 2023

The viral video appears to be recorded on Saturday, 26 August 2023, when thousands of fish were found dead along the shores of Teluk Bahang in Penang.

Fact #2 : Fukushima Only Started Releasing Waste Water On 24 August

The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station only started releasing its treated waste water on Thursday, 24 August 2023.

As the crow flies, Penang is over 5,400 kilometres away from Fukushima. Even if the radioactive waste water is a missile, it would need to fly non-stop at over 110 km/h to reach Penang in time to kill the fish two days later. And this is only possible if the Fukushima waste water can actually FLY OVER Pattani in Thailand and Kedah to reach Penang!

If the evil Japanese people fired the Fukushima waste water like a homing torpedo at Penang, it would need to travel some 7,000 km to reach Teluk Bahang. That radioactive torpedo will need to “swim” non-stop at 145 km/h or 78 knots to kill fish in Penang two days later.

Fact #3 : No Dead Fishes Were Reported En-Route

For the Fukushima waste water to reach Penang, it would need to travel past southern Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, southern China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Sabah and Sarawak, before going around Singapore, and past Johor, Melaka, Selangor and Perak.

Yet no dead fish were reported elsewhere. How is that possible if the Fukushima waste water is so toxic? Did the evil Japanese design the waste water to only kill fish in Penang?

Fact #3 : Fish Were Killed By Red Tide Bloom

On the day the fishes were found dead in Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) deputy director Dr. Annette Jaya Ram spotted pink tide in Teluk Bahang.

CEMACS later confirmed that the thousands of fish found dead were likely killed by the red tide bloom. CEMACS director Professor Datuk Dr. Aileen Tan said on Wednesday, 30 August 2023, that several fish that they retrieved were found to be in a state of asphyxiation with their mouths wide open.

We found them deprived of oxygen, resulting in unconsciousness or death due to suffocation.

She also said that while the algae is not known to have any direct toxicity or toxic effects, it was possible that the fish died due to high levels of discharge by the plankton.

It is more intense this time compared to April because it happened during neap tide (compared to spring tide in April). The blooms were not drifted or carried away by the tides or waves this time.

Fact #4 : DOE Confirmed Fish Were Killed By Algal Bloom

The Department of Environment (DOE) issued a statement on Wednesday, 30 August 2023, confirming that the thousands of fish found dead were killed when the algal bloom deprived them of oxygen.

Several samples were taken and initial analysis found that the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water was at 1.59mg/L to 2.09mg/L for depths between 1m (and) 4m.

Investigations found that it does not fulfil Class 2 of Marine Water Quality Standard to support aquatic life.

DOE Director General Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said that observations from two monitoring stations at Teluk Bahang suggested that the algal bloom was not caused by pollution.

Fact #5 : Algal Bloom Species Was Identified

On Wednesday, 30 August 2023, the Penang Fisheries Department identified the algal bloom as caused by Noctiluca scintillans, a species of marine dinoflagellates that is also known as sea sparkle.

Preliminary results of the analysis carried out by the Batu Maung Fisheries Research Institute found that the algae is non-toxic. It is from the Noctiluca scintillans species and is not dangerous to humans.

The department also pointed out that the very high density of algal in the water can cause fish to die, due to a decrease in dissolved oxygen.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Bantuan Rakyat Malaysia Scam Alert!

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Watch out for the Bantuan Rakyat Malaysia scam on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook and Twitter!

Find out how this scam works, and WARN your family and friends!

Bantuan Rakyat Malaysia 2023 Scam Alert!

These scam messages about Bantuan Tunai Rakyat (BTR) 2023, or Bantuan Percuma Kerajaan Malaysia 2023, is going viral on WhatsApp, Telegram, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

CARA SEMAKAN TARIKH BAGI PENERIMA BANTUAN RM600 DIKREDITKAN SETIAP BULAN

Untuk mereka yang layak, anda boleh lakukan semakan dengan mengikuti cara yang diterangkan.

Baca Cara Semakan Bantuan 👇
https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/

SHARE INFO ini kepada rakan-rakan dan saudara mara untuk manfaat semua

HOW TO CHECK THE DATE FOR RECIPIENTS OF ASSISTANCE RM600 CREDIT EVERY MONTH

For those who are eligible, you can check by following the described method.

Read How to Check Help 👇
https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/

SHARE this INFO to friends and relatives for the benefit of all

As one lady shared in the video below, she got tricked by the scammers, who took over her Telegram account to send the same scam message to all of her contacts!

While she claimed that she did not click any link, I will show you how she got scammed…

Bantuan Rakyat Malaysia Scam : How Does It Work?

Warning : To show you how the scammers work, I will share the links they use. I will highlight those dangerous links in red. Do NOT go to those links.

Super Long Link

To trick people into clicking on the scam links, the scammers intentionally use a misleading and very long URL, so you are less likely to notice the domain.

This is the scam link : https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/

Note how the scammer used a long list of descriptive keywords – “bantuan“, “rakyat“, “malaysia“, “lynk“, which helps to mislead people, and make it more difficult for them to notice that the domain is “eu.org“.

Obviously, eu.org is not a Malaysian government domain (which ends with .gov.my), and it has nothing to do with Malaysia or financial aid. This domain also has nothing to do with the European Union.

EU.org provides free subdomains, and so scammers use it to not only run their scams, but to give their scams a more “legitimate-looking domain”.

Pro Tip : Always check the domain of a link before you click on it. Avoid super-long links like this because they are often used to mask the domain name.

Fake Telegram Invitation

After clicking to go to https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/, you will be taken to what looks like an invitation to join a Telegram group. But in reality, it is a fake Telegram invitation.

A real Telegram invitation will have a link like this – https://t.me/XXXXXXXX. But this scam page has the link – https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/my.php.

Also, a real Telegram invitation can detect if you are using Windows / Mac or Android / iOS, and suggest that the right download for your device.

The invitation also has a glaring typo – the link says Massage Now, rather than Message Now. Hilarious!

In any case, a real Telegram invitation will not ask you to Message Now. Rather, it will allow you to either View In Telegram, or Preview channel in the web browser itself.

Fake Telegram Login Page

If you click on Join Group, you will be taken to this Telegram login page. Even though it offers you a list of countries to select from, the only option is Malaysia.

WARNING – THIS IS A SCAM PAGE. This is what is known in cybersecurity as a “phishing attack”.

First of all, Telegram invitations will never ask you to log into your Telegram account. It will simply launch the Telegram app and load the group for you.

Secondly, if you look at the link, it leads to the same scam domain, specifically https://bntuanrakyatmalaysia.lynk.eu.org/my.php.

Do NOT log into your Telegram account in this page.

If you log into your Telegram account using this phishing page, then the scammers will gain access to your Telegram account, and take it over for their own use.

They can then use your Telegram account to send the same scam message, or worse, cheat your family and friends of their money!

The lady in the viral video likely logged into this phishing page, thus giving the scammers control of her Telegram account. That was likely how they were able to message everyone on her contact list.

She also likely did not enable Two-Step Verification in Telegram, which would let her recover her account even after scammers have gained access.

That is why people who were hit by this scam had to call and inform their relatives and friends, or publicly post about it to warn all of their contacts.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to warn all of their contacts, and inevitably, someone will get cheated of their hard-earned money. That’s why these scams are so popular – they really work, and scammers are making a ton of money!

Help us fight against these scammers. SHARE this article out, and WARN your family and friends!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Warning – PDRM Parking Fine Scam Alert!

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Scammers are targeting motorists with the PDRM parking fine scam! Make sure you warn your family and friends!

Here is what you need to know about the PDRM parking fine scam!

PDRM Parking Fine Scam Email

People are getting emails warning them that they just committed a parking violation, while offering them a cheap fine if they pay quickly.

Fines Inquiry and Payment

Dear recipient,

We are writing to draw your attention to a recent traffic violation in Malaysian jurisdiction.

Our traffic enforcement staff have observed your vehicle parked in a no-parking zone. This contravenes section (no. 2016-691] of the Road Traffic Act.

The fine is set at MYR 50. Payment of the fine is required within 7 days of the date of notification, to avoid further legal consequences.

If the fine is not paid within the time limit, you may be subject to legal action, resulting in an increase in the original fine.

Payment deadline: [08/26/2023]

Methods of payment accepted:

Cordially,

Malaysian Police Department

PDRM Parking Fine Email Is A Scam!

These PDRM parking fine emails are scam emails. This was confirmed by PDRM itself.

On 7 August 2023, the Cyber Crime division of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) posted an alert warning motorists not to fall for the MyBayar scam.

These emails are designed to scare its victims into action. Hence, it offers a very cheap way to quickly “settle the problem”. However, if you take a breath, and analyse the email CAREFULLY, you will see many problems with it.

Letter is from PDRM : The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will never write to you by email.
Letter is in English : The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will never write to you in English.
Typo in the name : The fake email used My Bayar PDRM, instead of MyBayar PDRM.
Lack of name and personal details : The fake email refers generically to “Dear recipient“, without listing your full name and MyKad number.
Lack of vehicle details : The fake email doesn’t mention the vehicle make and plate number.
Lack of location details : The fake email does not mention where the offence occurred, or even when it occurred.
Fine is much too low : PDRM traffic fines are never as low as RM50. The cheapest fine is RM150 for Category 4 offences, but you can pay as low as RM70 within 15 days.
No such law : The fake email refers to the Road Traffic Act. There is no such act in Malaysia. The proper name is the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333).
No such section : If you look at the Malaysia Road Transport Act 1987 (PDF download), you will see that there is no such thing as Section 2016-691.

The email appears to be from My Bayar PDRM (typo in the name), but if you inspect the email address, you will see that it was sent by “in-to-no-reply@silverbackgames.xxx” or “hello@sooqr.com” or some other email address.

Obviously, this email did not originate from an official PDRM email address! This should immediately tell you that this is a fake or scam email!

If you click on the Pay My Fine link in the scam email, you will be taken to a fake My Bayar PDRM website (with the same typo in the name).

You may notice that you now have 7 days to pay the RM 50 fine, instead of just 5 days in the email. Odd, isn’t it?

Also odd is the fact that the page does not mention your name, your MyKad number, your vehicle type and model, or even its plate number! The page also doesn’t mention where the offence took place, or the time you were caught committing said offence.

Do NOT proceed after this point… This is a scam website!

But if you have itchy fingers, and click on the Pay The Fine button, you will be asked to pay for the RM50 fine using your debit or credit card.

Needless to say, PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR DEBIT / CREDIT CARD DETAILS!!!

If you provide these scammers with your debit / credit card details and TAC / OTP numbers, they will be able to charge ANY AMOUNT they want to your credit card, or withdraw ANY AMOUNT they want from your bank account!

It’s even worse if you are asked to log into your bank account to pay the fine. DO NOT DO THAT!

If you provide them with your bank login and password, as well as OTP/TAC number, these scammers will be able to transfer money out of your bank account!

Please note – this is a scam! This is a phishing attack to gain access to your credit card and/or bank account.

Regardless of how you get any notification from PDRM about any traffic offence you may have committed, you should always check the status through these official MyBayar PDRM options:

MyBayar PDRM website : https://mybayar.rmp.gov.my/
MyBayar PDRM app for Android : Google Play Store
MyBayar PDRM app for iOS : Apple App Store

Please SHARE this warning with your family and friends!

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did Chinese Driver Get Attacked With Axe For Honking?!

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Did a Chinese driver get attacked with an axe after he honked at a Malay driver in front of him?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Chinese Driver Attacked With Axe After Honking!

People are now sharing four videos together with this viral message about a Chinese driver getting attacked with an axe after he honked at a Malay driver in front of him!

Forwarded by another chat group. The Chinese driver at the back horn the malay guy in front. Maybe the malay driver in bad mood took an axe and chopped him.

Be patience on the road and do not horn unnecessary.

I will not be posting the videos, because they are shocking in nature. However, these two screenshots should give you an idea of the violence, and the videos I’m referring to.

Truth : No Chinese Driver Was Hacked With Axe For Honking!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Incident Occurred In Sabah

Let me start by pointing out that the viral videos are genuine, and were not edited. There was a recent incident where a man was hacked with an axe in Malaysia.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night, 9 August 2023, in Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Fact #2 : The Man Did Not Honk At Anyone

The incident did not involve honking. The victim – a 37 year-old man, had earlier parked his car at an open space near Menara Kinabalu – the Sabah state administrative centre.

He was having a meal with his 30 year-old girlfriend in his parked car, when three men approached his car at around 9 PM. One of the three man then proceeded to attack the victim with an axe.

The couple managed to escape to the nearby Alamesra police station to seek help, and lodge a police report. The victim was later sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. His girlfriend was not injured.

Fact #3 : Police Are Looking For The Three Men

The police are now looking for the three man to help with their investigation into the case – 37 year-old Withal Jalali, 27 year-old Abdel Jalali, and another man who has not been identified.

Those with information of the individuals or the incident are advised to come forward and report the matter at the nearest police station or contact the investigating officer Inspector Muhammad Khaidir Zakaria at 014-801-961.

Left : Winhal Jalali | Right : Abdel Jalali

Fact #4 : The Motive Was Not Road Rage

The man who attacked the victim with an axe is believed to be Winhal Jalali – the woman’s ex-husband.

The woman is believed to have married the suspect in 2015, before they divorced about a month ago. She has known the victim for six months before starting a romantic relationship two weeks ago.

Kota Kinabalu Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed the incident on Friday, 11 August 2023, stating:

The man suffered multiple injuries to his face, hands and foot following the attack. We believe the motive of the attack was jealousy.

The case is being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using a dangerous weapon.

Fact #5 : Victim’s Identity Is Still Unknown

The victim’s identity is currently unknown. The police have not revealed his name, much less his race. Therefore, there is no evidence that he is a Chinese man.

Until and unless the victim and/or the police reveals his identity and race, anyone who tells you that he is a Chinese man is likely telling a tall tale.

Fact #6 : Two Suspects Are Suluk

According to the Kota Kinabalu police, the two suspects who have been identified – Winhal Jalali and Abdel Jalali, are from the Suluk ethnic group.

In other words – the claim in the viral warning that the driver was attacked by a “moody Malay man” is categorically false.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Pertussis Outbreak : Should You Avoid Rompin + Pekan?!

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Should you avoid the districts of Rompin and Pekan, because of the pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak there?!

Take a look at the viral messages, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Avoid The Pertussis Outbreak In Rompin + Pekan

People are sharing a screenshot of an official document issued by the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) declaring a pertussis outbreak in the town of Kuala Rompin, together with alarming warnings like these:

Please do not go or encounter Pekan and Rompin. There’s an epidemic disease worse than Covid. Everyone is required to wear masks.

Minta semua orang jangan pergi atau jumpa orang Pekan dan Rompin. Ada wabak yg lebih sirius daripada Covid, terus sesak nafas. Minta semua pakai MASK.

请通知身边的人尽量不要过去PEKAN 和ROMPIN区。比新冠病毒更严重的病毒在散播中，患者会短时间内呼吸困难窒息至死。请出访时务必戴上口罩。

Ask everyone not to go or meet people from Pekan and Rompin. There is an epidemic more serious than Covid, [you’ll] immediately suffocate. Ask everyone to wear a MASK.

Here are the text of the viral KKM document, and its English translation:

Sir,

DECLARATION OF PERTUSSIS OUTBREAK IN ROMPIN

With all due respect, I refer to the matter above.

2. For your information, the Rompin District Health Department has declared an outbreak of pertussis localised in Kampung Bahagia, Kuala Rompin on 13.8.2023. In order to control the spread of the disease, we request your cooperation to examine your cases more carefully to see if there are patients from the same locality with the symptoms of pertussis. The correct use of PPE should be practiced to prevent the spread [of pertussis] among healthcare workers.

3. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and hope that the spread of pertussis can be well controlled. Thank you.

Tuan,

MAKLUMAN PENGISTIHARAN WABAK PERTUSSIS DI ROMPIN

Dengan segala hormatnya saya merujuk kepada perkara di atas.

2. Untuk makluman pihak tuan, pihak Jabatan Kesihatan Daerah Rompin telah mengisytiharkan satu wabak pertussis berlokaliti di Kampung Bahagia, Kuala Rompin pada 13.8.2023. Bagi mengawal penularan penyakit in pihak kami memohon kerjasama pihak tuan untuk memeriksa kes dengan lebih jitu sekiranya ada pesakit yang datang dari lokaliti yang sama dan mempunyai gejala pertussis. Juga bagi mengelakkan penyebaran di kalangan anggota kesihatan, pemakaian PPE yang betul perlu diamalkan.

3. Kerjasama dari pihak tuan amat kami hargai dan berharap penularan penyakit pertussis dapat ini dikawal sebaiknya.

Sekian. terima kasih.

Saya yang menjalankan amanah,

(DR. AHMAD HAFIZ BIN MOHAMAD )
MD (USU), MPH,Dr PH (UNIMAS)
Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam UD54
Pegawai Kesihatan Daerah
Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Rompin

Show less

No Need To Avoid Pertussis Outbreak In Rompin + Pekan

Here is what you need to know about pertussis, and why there is no need to avoid people from Rompin or Pekan, or avoid going to those districts.

Fact #1 : KKM Document Is Genuine

First, let me just point out that the Pahang Department of Health confirmed on 19 August 2023, that the viral KKM document is genuine.

According to the Pahang Department of Health, there was a small outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Kampung Bahagia, in Kuala Rompin, Pahang.

Fact #2 : Only Three Cases Were Reported In Kuala Rompin

Pahang Health Director Dato’ Indera Dr. Nor Azimi binti Yunus said that the pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak involved a mother and her two children, who are being treated, and are in a stable condition.

All the patients have been given treatment and are in stable condition. The Rompin PKD has increased prevention and control activities in the area where the patients are residing.

Health education activities have been undertaken through ceramah, distribution of pamphlets and dissemination of information via social media.

There was no report of any pertussis cases in Pekan.

Fact #3 : Pertussis Is Not More Dangerous Than COVID-19

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a respiratory disease like COVID-19. However, it is not caused by a virus, but the bacterium, Bordetella pertussis.

Pertussis spreads easily through the coughs and sneezes of the infected person, but it is rare these days because the vast majority of people in Malaysia have already been immunised in their childhood.

While pertussis vaccines do not confer lifelong immunity, they are given at childhood, when the disease is most likely to strike and kill. In addition, pertussis can be treated using antibiotics, which is not possible for COVID-19.

Therefore, the claim that pertussis (whooping cough) is more dangerous than COVID-19 is not true.

Fact #4 : Pekan Is An Hour Away From Rompin

It is unknown why people would create fake messages about the risk of pertussis in Pekan. After all, no cases of pertussis were reported in Pekan!

The pertussis outbreak in Kuala Rompin isn’t going to “jump” to Pekan either. Pekan is located over 80 km away from Kuala Rompin! That’s more than an hour’s drive by car!

Fact #5 : Viral Messages Were Labelled As Fake News

On 21 August 2023, Pahang Health Director Dato’ Indera Dr. Nor Azimi binti Yunus, spoke out again about the viral messages, calling them misleading. Here is an English summary of what she said:

The pertussis case that occurred in Kampung Bahagia, Rompin is under control, so the warnings “not to come to Rompin, not to come to Pekan and Pahang” are inappropriate.

It is not extraordinary for there to be pertussis cases. And an outbreak is declared whenever there are more than two cases of the same disease in a locality. We not only face a pertussis outbreak, but also dengue outbreaks, leprosy outbreaks and so on.

The letter was issued to alert healthcare providers to quickly control the outbreak by actively looking for cases, instead of waiting for people to come to the hospital.

In Kampung Bahagia, we found 370 people (50% of the population) to conduct contact tracing. To date, there has been no new cases, and we have given prophylactic antibiotics to 37 people who were identified as the patients’ close contacts.

We also examined and conducted tracing on 52 residents of Kampung Sepakat that is located next to Kampung Bahagia, and found no new cases.

The chain of an outbreak is considered broken completely, if no new cases were reported within two weeks of the last case to be detected.

She called on the public not to spread unverified information about this pertussis outbreak.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Media Prima / Nielsen Fake Job Scam Alert!

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Please watch out for the Media Prima Digital / Nielsen fake job scam! Don’t forget to warn your family and friends!

Media Prima / Nielsen Job Scam : How They Reel You In…

Scammers are targeting people through WhatsApp, offering an easy way to make extra money through a part-time job you can do online.

I am Shirley , a permanent employee at Media Prima Digital Company in the recruitment department. The HR department sent me this number and asked me to contact you to get you to a job opportunity.

I just want to share some work-from-home freelance job information offer .You don’t have to spend a lot of time on the job.I can explain if you are interested

The job appears to be very simple – just use your Instagram account to follow Media Prima Digital’s brand partners, to boost their follower count and exposure.

Our job is to use Instagram to follow our various partner brands and work with Malaysian brand influencers to increase their exposure. We hire freelancers to work with the hope of earning extra income every day.

You don’t have to do any marketing for the brand, you just have to subscribe Brand. The salary will be paid daily using TnG or Bank transfer.

Recommended : How Fake Job Syndicates Operate!

Best of all, the scammers are promising that you can make easy money doing nothing more than help Media Prima Digital boost their brand partners on Instagram…

This job is like freelancing. You can do it from anywhere and anytime if you can use social media. RM 110-550 per day if you can do it energetically without even a little worry. You can earn up to RM 3,300-16,500 per month.

Wow! That’s more than what many people earn in Malaysia, so why the heck not, right? Just use Instagram to help big brands “cheat” on their follower counts. Unethical, but not illegal, right? And easy money to make.

The scammer will let you try one or two tasks to show you just how easy it is to make quick money. Wow – you can earn RM10 just by following one Instagram account? Easy!

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Media Prima / Nielsen Job Scam Runs On Telegram

To get paid, the scammer hands you over to the actual fake job syndicate on Telegram…

Why Telegram? Telegram is popular with scammers because it not only offers end-to-end encryption, it won’t expose their actual telephone numbers.

Go to telegram and add to our receptionist. Use this username @AD or you can easily add her using this Link. https://t.me/KL999654

After successfully adding her send her a message. (I’m a new member.) code: JZ 450032 (ML-OS)Please send me a screenshot to confirm after sending code message to her.

She will invite you to join our working group where you can accomplish many tasks and earn more salary.

Recommended : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

This “receptionist” will quickly pay you the RM10 (the bait), to “prove” that this is a genuine operation. She will then explain what you need to do to earn RM200 to RM300 a day. That’s more than what most people make in a day!

The finance department is sending money to you, please inform me when you receive it! Now let me give you a detailed description of our part-time work

The main job is to help Instagram users follow their page. You get RM2 for completing one task. RM80+ commission per day depending on your hours. The daily income is between RM 200 and RM 300, as long as you have enough time to do it, you can join

You will get RM2-RM18 commission for completing the task and an additional RM80 salary, which will be calculated based on your working hours today, ending at 8pm

Complete a task for RM2, accumulate RM10 and you can automatically receive commission. The more tasks you do, the more commissions you earn and the higher your salary

Update the task every 20 minutes and send me screenshots when you’re done so I know how much you’ve accomplished. The timeout task has expired and does not need to be completed. Do the latest task in the group

Only RM2 per task? But okay, they are also offering a daily commission. You work it out, and decide – what the heck, you can still get a decent sum every day. So you agree to participate.

After you chug along, accumulating a small but nice sum over several hours, they hit you with the scam… you have to invest your money for the next job.

Subscribe to Tasks:
In order to thank you for your support to our company we hereby announce the welfare task and strive for the quota for everyone
Subscription Rule (2-4 orders) This task is based on market demand, we are recruiting customers to transfer subscription to increase transaction flow.
Increase market turnover. 5 to 10 minutes to complete the task, such as subscribe RM100, get RM130, 30% profit.
===========================
MYR 100 Cash back MYR 130 (Newbie subscription)
MYR 200 Cash back MYR 260
MYR 300 Cash back MYR 390
MYR 600 Cash back MYR 780
MYR 1000 Cashback MYR 1300

This is when your receptionist will pressure you into at least taking the “newbie subscription” of “just RM100”. She will assure you that you will instantly get RM30 profit.

In the meantime, people in the Telegram group will publicly announce that they are buying subscriptions of RM300, RM600, etc. These are likely just accounts run by the scammers.

If you hesitate, the receptionist will tell you that you cannot proceed without subscribing to this task. If you refuse, you will also lose the money you earned earlier. This is how they trap you.

If you jump right into it, the group will likely pay you the first time, to tempt you into investing more the next time around. That’s when they take your money for good.

Don’t think that you can’t really lose much on such fake job scams. One university student recently explained how he lost over RM22,000 in a similar job scam.

There’s one trick that this scammer is using. He let me start with a small investment, then proceed with stages. They force me to continue because I want to rescue the money that I put in in the previous task. So it keeps getting bigger and bigger.

So please AVOID such online job offers, and help us fight these scammers – SHARE this article out, and WARN your family and friends!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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PDRM To Conduct Roadblocks From Midnight Onwards!

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The Inspector-General of Police just announced that PDRM will conduct roadblocks at strategic locations, from midnight onwards!

IGP : PDRM To Conduct Roadblocks From Midnight Onwards!

On Saturday, 12 August 2023, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain announced that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will conduct roadblocks at strategic locations nationwide, from midnight onwards!

He said that these roadblocks are part of ongoing efforts to prevent crime and ensure public safety through police omnipresence, and unrelated to the 2023 state elections.

This is part of our monthly routine to prevent crimes and is not related to the state elections. Our men will be stationed at various locations to ensure there are no untoward incidents.

At the same time, IGP Razarudin also urged supporters of political parties not to hold any victory convoys with their vehicles.

He also said that the police will increase its presence at state palaces and residences of the Yang di-Pertua to prevent disruptions at those locations.

PDRM conducted similar roadblocks were during the 15th General Elections in November 2022.

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2023 Election Voter Wearing Short Pants Blocked From Voting!

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A voter in Penang was allegedly stopped from voting at the 2023 election because he wore short pants! Here is what you need to know!

2023 Election Voter Wearing Short Pants Blocked From Voting!

Sin Chew Daily just reported that a voter in Penang was allegedly stopped from voting at the 2023 election because he wore short pants. The incident reportedly occurred at a polling centre in Berapit, Bukit Mertajam.

According to the incumbent state assembly representative for Berapit, Heng Lee Lee, the voter arrived at the polling station at 7:45 AM, but was ordered return home and change his pants because they did not cross the knee. Her team immediately disputed the order, and the person-in-charge acknowledged the mistake.

When my campaign team heard about the incident, we immediately made our way to the polling centre and spoke to the person-in-charge, where we presented evidence that the Election Commission (EC) did not implement an attire guideline.

The person-in-charge subsequently recognised the mistake and no longer prevented those who wore short pants from voting.

Heng Lee Lee said that such incidents set a dangerous precedent, and shows how “extremist” ideologies have taken root in individuals who now act as “moral police”.

Photo Credit : Sin Chew Daily

This isn’t the first time Penang voters have been prevented from voting in elections because they wore short pants.

Back in May 2018, an Election Commission (SPR) officer was slammed by Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng for blocking a voter who wore short pants from entering the polling station in his constituency of Bagan.

The SPR officer was seen urging the male voter to return home to change, saying:

Other days (you) can (enter). What to do? They do not allow, so go change and enter directly.

The man was ultimately able to vote, but it was not known if he was only allowed to do so after he changed his pants. When confronted, the officer admitted that there was no such regulation prohibiting the voter from entering the polling station to cast his vote.

Truth : You Can Wear Short Pants To Vote In 2023 Election

Regardless of whether it is the 15th General Election, or the current 2023 election, there is nothing prohibiting voters from wearing short pants, or even slippers, when they go to the polling stations to vote.

According to Section 26(1)(g) of the Election Offences Act of 1954 (Act 5), voters can wear anything they want as long as their clothes do not have :

the name of any electoral candidate
the symbol of any political party

In other words, if you prefer to wear shorts and slippers, go on right ahead. Or if you prefer to dress up, more power to you!

Some people share photos like this example of the dress code for government offices in Malaysia. Please note that the government office dress code does NOT apply to elections!

You do NOT have to follow this dress code to vote in Malaysia!

During the previous 15th General Elections, the Malaysia Election Commission (SPR) issued a statement refuting that office dress code claim, as well as the infographic below.

The SPR also stated clearly that the government office dress code does NOT apply in any election polling station.

Voters do not have to dress according to government office attire at polling stations. The EC has not and will not prevent a voter from entering a polling station as long as the voter is appropriately dressed.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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2023 Election : Must You Wear Face Mask + Dress Properly?!

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Must you wear a face mask, and dress properly in order to vote at the 2023 State and Parliament election for Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : 2023 Election Voters Must Wear Face Mask + Office Dress Code!

People are sharing messages claiming that voters must wear a face mask, and follow a specific dress code to vote during the 2023 State and Parliament election for Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan!

Just sharing from another group. 👇

Please wear a mask when you go to vote , they may take this excuse no mask cannot go into voting centre .
So remember to bring your mask with you .
And dress decently. No shorts .

It seems must wear a mask when one goes to vote.. please inform people in your contacts. Tomorrow’s election attire has to be proper. Long pants, shirt & shoes. No shorts, sleeveless t-shirts & slippers. Mostly younger non-Malays wear this way esp shorts and may not be allowed…rugi undi.
Just a gentle reminder.

Truth : No Need To Wear Face Mask Or Office Dress Code To Vote In 2023 Election!

These are just more examples of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Voters Only Need To Be Appropriately Dressed

The fake news falsely claimed that people cannot wear short pants or slippers to vote at the 2023 election in Malaysia.

According to Section 26(1)(g) of the Election Offences Act of 1954 (Act 5), voters can wear anything they want as long as their clothes do not have :

the name of any electoral candidate
the symbol of any political party

In other words, if you prefer to wear shorts and slippers, go on right ahead. Or if you prefer to dress up, more power to you!

This is not just about comfort. It is expected to rain during 2023 election on 12 August 2023, and it may be impractical for voters to wear formal wear.

Fact #2 : Dress Code Photo Only For Government Offices

The photos that people keep sharing (below is just one example) are of the dress code for government offices in Malaysia. You only need to abide by that dress code if you wish to enter a government office.

That government office dress code does NOT apply to the polling centres for the 2023 State and Parliament election in Malaysia. You do NOT have to follow this dress code to vote in Malaysia!

Fact #3 : Face Mask Is Not Required To Vote

While wearing a face mask is strongly encouraged, you will not be turned away from voting if you do not have a face mask.

The World Health Organization announced on May 1, 2023 that COVID-19 was no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Following that, Malaysia eased its COVID-19 guidelines on July 5:

wearing a face mask is no longer mandatory on public transportation, or hospitals.
it is only mandatory for people who are COVID-19 positive, and healthcare workers adhering to infection control practices in health facilities, to wear face masks.
quarantine for COVID-19 positive cases was also shortened from seven days to just five days from the onset of first symptoms.

Using face masks by high risk individuals in crowded areas and places with bad air circulation is also highly encouraged.
– Malaysia Health Minister Dr. Zaliha Mustafa

On 11 August 2023, the Malaysia Election Commission (SPR) also issued a detailed statement outlining the election process. There was no mention of face masks being required to vote.

In fact, face masks were NOT even required during the 15th General Election in November 2022!

At that time, wearing a face mask was only mandatory for COVID-19 positive voters! The SPR only strongly encouraged voted to wear one, but it was NOT a requirement.

Fact #4 : SPR Refuted Dress Code Claims

During the previous 15th General Elections, the Malaysia Election Commission (SPR) issued a statement refuting that office dress code claim, as well as the infographic below.

The SPR also stated clearly that the government office dress code does NOT apply in any election polling station.

Now that you know the facts, please SHARE this fact check article, and SUPPORT our work!

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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PDRM Warning : Watch Out For MyBayar Scam!

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PDRM is warning motorists not to fall for the MyBayar scam! Here is what you need to know about the MyBayar PDRM scam!

PDRM Warning : Watch Out For MyBayar Scam

On 7 August 2023, the Cyber Crime division of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) posted an alert warning motorists not to fall for the MyBayar scam.

The MyBayar PDRM scam starts with an official-looking email that warns motorists that they have been caught contravening the law, and offers a cheap RM50 fine if paid within 5 days:

Last notice of contravention before prosecution

Dear recipient,

We are writing to draw your attention to a recent traffic violation in Malaysian jurisdiction.

Our traffic enforcement staff have observed your vehicle parked in a no-parking zone. This contravenes section (no. 2016-691] of the Road Traffic Act.

As a result of this infringement, a fine of MYR 50 has been imposed. This fine must be paid within 5 days of the date of this notification to avoid further legal consequences.

Failure to pay the fine within the allotted time may result in legal proceedings being taken against you, which could lead to increased fines, penalties and the possible suspension of your driving license.

MyBayar PDRM Scam : How Does It Work?!

Many people who received the MyBayar PDRM email might be shocked to find out that they were caught committing a traffic violation, and then relieved that it was only RM50 if they paid quickly.

That’s how the scammers trap their victims – by offering a cheap RM50 fine, when we all know that fines for traffic offences are at least RM150, and can go all the way up to RM1,000!

Those who received this fake MyBayar PDRM email would be tempted to quickly pay the cheap RM50 fine, before it becomes a lot more expensive!

But if you take a closer look at the email, you will spot some problems with it:

Weird English : The email title of “Last notice of contravention before prosecution” is nonsensical.
Typo in the name : The fake email used My Bayar PDRM, instead of MyBayar PDRM.
Lack of name and personal details : The fake email refers generically to “Dear recipient“, without listing your full name and MyKad number.
Lack of vehicle details : The fake email doesn’t mention the vehicle make and plate number.
Lack of location details : The fake email does not mention where the offence occurred, or even when it occurred.
Fine is much too low : PDRM traffic fines are never as low as RM50. The cheapest fine is RM150 for Category 4 offences, but you can pay as low as RM70 within 15 days.
No such law : The fake email refers to the Road Traffic Act. There is no such act in Malaysia. The proper name is the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333).
No such section : If you look at the Malaysia Road Transport Act 1987 (PDF download), you will see that there is no such thing as Section 2016-691.