KUCHING, Nov 27 ― Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Youth urged the police and the Malaysian  Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to conduct a thorough investigation against the perpetrators behind fake news targeting its president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.

The call was made after PSB Youth information chief Frankie Junau lodged a report at the Sungai Maong station here.

In his report, Junau said he received a WhatsApp message yesterday from his friend about a purported news article titled "Wong Soon Koh: Dayaks are stupid with low IQ and easy to be manipulated”, with a photograph of PSB president under the heading.

 It was altered from the original version under the heading "PSB backs Wong Soon Koh on whether to quit Sarawak Cabinet”, which was published in the Free Malaysia Today news portal on July 13 this year.

He asked the police and MCMC to go after those behind the creation of the fake news.

Junau was accompanied by the party’s Youth leader and Engkilili state assemblyman Johnical Rayong and about 10 party members.

Rayong claimed to reporters that the party’s growing support from all communities in the state was a reason why Wong, a former state international trade and e-commerce minister, was targeted by a smear campaign by unknown groups.

He claimed the party has been receiving many new membership applications from the people, many of whom are members of other parties, to join PSB.

"Last week, I received about 2,000 membership applications from the people from my constituency,” Rayong, who is the state assemblyman for Engkilili, told reporters after accompanying his special assistant Frankie Junau to lodge a police report at Sungai Maong station here.

He said it is not just the Dayaks, but also the Chinese and Malays throughout the state who have become PSB members.

"The perpetrators of the fake news want to tell the world that PSB is anti-Dayaks or to warn the Malays and the Chinese communities not to support us,” he said, adding that such dirty politics are spread by people whose positions are being threatened by PSB’s growing popularity among all the communities in the state.

He said this is because PSB is eyeing more than 60 seats to contest in the coming state election.

"We have identified some of the potential candidates to contest in the election,” he added.

PSB member Abang Mohammed Tosen, who is a practising lawyer, said the fake news was a "dirty” attempt to slander the party president and the party.

"We don’t know who are the originators of the fake news. But it is up to the police and MCMC to do the investigation,” he said.