PUTRAJAYA, Sept 11 — Posters circulating on social media, claiming important dates for the 17th Sabah state election, are fake and entirely false, the Election Commission (EC) said yesterday.

EC secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said that, to date, the commission has made no official announcement regarding the dissolution of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, or the setting of key dates for the 17th state election.

“The EC also wishes to stress that all information regarding the election, including key dates such as the issuance of the writ, nomination day, and polling day, will only be announced through the commission’s official channels, namely its official portal, press conferences, and media statements.

“The dissemination of false information like this is an irresponsible act, and can create confusion among the public,” he said in a statement, yesterday.

He added that legal action could be taken against anyone found spreading, sharing, or publishing false information, under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and other applicable laws.

“The EC urges the public to exercise caution and not be easily misled by unauthentic information. Accurate and official updates should only be obtained from the commission’s official channels,” he said. — Bernama