KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Malaysians must refrain from sharing “malicious” news on social media before they verify its authenticity, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said today.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of economic planning acknowledged that the social media is a powerful tool that has dire consequences if abused.

“We are quick to spread malicious news without verifying and this is wrong and not ethical.

“I hope all of us will learn from this and ensure before we share a piece of news, make sure that the news is legitimate,” he said at the end of dialogue session on the 11th Malaysia Plan at the Content Malaysia Pitching Centre here.

As an example, he cited a viral video purportedly of a Muslim couple exchanging Christian marriage vows.

News reports later clarified that the couple had already performed the traditional Malay wedding ceremony and was filmed exchanging their marriage vows in English to fulfil the legal civil marriage requirement in Australia.