Stop sharing fake news on Sarawak governor’s health condition, says Astana NegeriAstana Negeri today warned social media users to stop posting fake news regarding the health condition of Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is currently recuperating overseas.
Taib’s private secretary Junih Salleh Ahmad said it has come to the palace’s attention that members of the public have continuously harped on the health conditions of the head of state.
He said this despite the assurance from both the Astana and Sarawak premier’s office that he is currently recuperating overseas.
“On behalf of Astana, once again we would like to assure the people of Sarawak that his condition has been improving and God willing, and with his doctor’s advice, he will come home very soon,” Junih said in a statement.
“We hope that the people will be patient and not be easily hoodwinked by unverified news and speculations on Tun’s current health,” he said.
How does one’s condition now “improve” from being “well and in good stead”?
That was the description given in the original statement released by the Astana about the Governor’s health, back in June when concerns were first raised.
The Astana then went on to issue threats and police reports against anyone mentioning the possibility that the Governor might indeed be under medical care, something they took six weeks to admit was true.
So, how can social media denizens (now once again threatened in the darkest terms to shut up) take any of these contradictory statements seriously, or as bearing the slightest authority or relation to the truth?
There has been no information given as to which country the Governor is even in (whilst missing the top ceremonial occasion of the year), let alone the nature of his affliction, which is implied to be minor even though it has now persisted for several weeks.
We do know, thanks to yesterday’s state government release, that Taib was indeed “taken ill” (as reported by Sarawak Report) at the time the Astana lied that he was “well and in good stead” and demanded that the police hound those who had reported the truth.
The Astana now “assures” the people of Sarawak that the Governor’s “condition is improving” and that (if God is willing and his doctors agree) he will come home “very soon”.
Those are big ifs and the Astana has discredited itself.
Many may hope for the revival of the man who has dominated the state for half a century. However, Sarawak deserves to be run professionally for the benefit of the people (at last) and not merely its office holders.
As far as truth and transparency are concerned the Astana has proven itself to be as bad as any conspiracy theorist online and someone should report it for issuing FAKE NEWS!