KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 ― DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang last night said he believes that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government could effectively address the spread of fake news and hate speech.

He said fake news and hate speech could not only destroy plural Malaysia, but also has been identified as the third existential threat to humanity.

"In Malaysia, or in the whole world, the question of fake news, hate speech is taking over human kind… and somehow we must be able to fight this battle,” he said in the "Democracy in a Polarised Age” forum here, last night.

Saying that he himself was targeted by fake news disseminators on social media back in 2017, the Iskandar Puteri MP added that the issue has been a common and familiar one among Malaysians.

Of late, he added that there seemed to be a rise in racial and religious sentiments in the country, with the problem further aggravated by irresponsible parties, opportunists and fake news peddlers. ― Bernama