Information Dept hacked, PM ‘resignation notice’ posted

• Dept discovers transgression this morning after several social media sites reported it
• Internal investigation on-going, police report to be lodged

MALAYSIA’S Department of Information said it would lodge a police report after its site was hacked into and a false statement issued announcing that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had resigned from his post.
 
The department discovered the transgression this morning after several social media sites had reported it, director-general Datuk Ibrahim Abdul Rahman said in a press statement (click pic to download pdf).
 
He said the department suspects its e-Akhbar and e-Press systems were hacked into to issue two statements, one of the Prime Minister resigning and the other regarding applications for Malaysian citizenship.
 
"The Information Department acted immediately to remove the false statements from both systems,” he said. "This is to prevent the dissemination of these statements by irresponsible parties and to avoid confusing the public.”
 
He said the department was also conducting an internal investigation into the matter and would lodge a police report.
 
Under the Computer Crimes Act 1997, a person found guilty of unauthorized access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offence is liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.
 
A person found guilty of unauthorized modification of the contents of any computer is liable to a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding seven years or both. A person found guilty of ‘wrongful communication’ is liable to a fine not exceeding RM25,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.

[RM1 = US$0.31] 

In the false resignation notice posted on the department’s website, the supposed prime minister purportedly apologized to a host of Opposition leaders for his ‘transgressions’ against them.
 
In the East Malaysian state of Sabah, an on-going Royal Commission of Inquiry into the granting of Malaysian citizenship to unqualified foreigners, allegedly for their votes, has put the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition under pressure as the country gears up for a general election that must be called by June at the latest.
 

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