DOE refutes viral infographic on Malaysia’s state cleanliness ranking, warns public not to share unverified claims.
PUTRAJAYA: The Department of Environment (DOE) has denied issuing, publishing or verifying the infographic titled “Ranking Kebersihan Negeri Malaysia 2024”, which has been widely circulated on social media platforms and messaging applications.
The DOE said in a statement today that it had never released any media statement, report or response regarding the purported ranking of states as displayed in the infographic.
“The public is advised not to disseminate the information or use it as an official reference without first verifying it with the department.
“Members of the public are also advised not to believe, disseminate or share unverified information, as it may mislead others and create misunderstandings about the actual facts,” the statement said.
The department said the spread of unverified information could not only mislead the public but also potentially erode public confidence in official information relating to environmental management and conservation.
To avoid confusion, the DOE said all official media statements, reports, statistics, infographics, announcements and information issued by the department would only be published through its official communication channels, namely its official portal at www.doe.gov.my, Facebook (@JabatanAlamSekitar), Instagram (@jabatanalamsekitar), X (@jasmalaysia), TikTok (@jas_malaysia_official) and YouTube (@JabatanAlamSekitar).
The department stressed that it took seriously any misuse of its name, logo or corporate identity, as well as the dissemination of misleading information that could affect its reputation and credibility.
“In this regard, the DOE will not hesitate to take appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of the law against any party found to have misused the department’s identity or spread false information by linking it to the department.
“The DOE remains committed to ensuring that all information conveyed to the public is accurate, authentic, transparent and credible, in line with its responsibilities as the authority responsible for the management and protection of the country’s environment,” the statement said.
