KUALA LUMPUR (March 21): Information relating to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) that has not been verified by the authorities are considered fake information, according to Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari.

"In regards to fake information relating to 1MDB, which was brought up by (the MPs of) Sungai Petani and Wangsa Maju, for your information, generally, definition for fake news is news that have been verified as not true by authorities, as well as parties who have expertise on a specific issue," he said in Parliament today.

Further, he stressed that the 1MDB case has already been investigated by the police and Attorney General's (AG) Chamber.

"Investigation reports have also been presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a bi-partisan Parliamentary committee. The proceeding has been undertaken transparently, [and] the Hansard and [the PAC] report can be read on Parliament's website. [The] PAC's recommendations have been accepted [and] undertaken fully by the government, and 1MDB's asset rationalisation process has been well executed," he added.

As such, Jailani, who was presenting his wrap-up speech during the debate on the motion of thanks on Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V's royal address, said the government views that other than information being verified by authorities, any information beyond that will be recognised as fake information.

"On 1MDB, various government agencies, be it AG or PAC, have concluded [their investigations]. It is just that different aspects of it [are] being brought up repeatedly by MPs from the other side (opposition). If you don't believe these agencies, please trust your own colleague: Kepong (MP Tan Seng Giaw, also PAC's deputy chairman) has already stated clearly that the Prime Minister is not involved in the case. It was the management to be blamed," he added.

Jailani also updated that the draft bill to regulate fake news dissemination is currently being fine-tuned by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, who will provide further information on the matter in her wrap-up speech tomorrow.

"As for now, the government has established a Cyber Crime Special Committee in November last year, chaired by the Communications and Multimedia Minister himself, to battle cyber crime, including fake information dissemination. Since its establishment, 154 cases have been investigated, with 16 of them charged in court," he added.