KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has urged the public to check the authenticity of news they received through social media before spreading it to other people.

The spreading of fake news is a social ill that could be detrimental not only to individuals, but also to the nation as a whole, according to the statement issued by the PMO today.

"The government is in the midst of formulating a law to address this social ill to enable the relevant authorities to take appropriate action against the perpetrators,” the statement said.

The statement also said that the PMO had taken note of the fake news involving the government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak which had gone viral and being circulated widely on social media. — Bernama