Fake News: Reports Wikileaks exposed Anwar’s bank details ‘a fabrication’

Earlier this week, news began to spread via a Malaysian online portal that whistle-blower group WikiLeaks had published extensive bank account details that allegedly belonged to PKR leader, Anwar Ibrahim, showing extensive cash deposits totaling in the multi-millions spread across international bank accounts.

Sensational news in the week leading up to Anwar’s potential return to parliament via the October 13 Port Dickson by-election; however, much like the news that Anwar had another sodomy case at his doorstep, this was fake news.

Turns out, five years ago a former Gerakan secretary-general, Liang Teck Meng, made unsubstantiated allegations in parliament. Making it potentially the only news to travel slower than molasses, like a star emitting light that the eye will only see years later, online portal The Coverage reported it as fact.

In a tweet last night, Wikileaks clarified the rumor:

 

“Claims spread in Malaysia that @WikiLeaks published @anwaribrahim’s bank account details are false. Liang Tech (sic) Meng is pushing a fabrication.”

“WikiLeaks has published significant information about Malaysian politicians but not Mr Ibrahim’s bank accounts.”

Well, that settles that five-year-long dispute based on one man’s parliamentary ramblings, reported half a decade later as fact, and concluded to be baseless.

When asked by Malaysiakini for comment, Liang, the originator of the rumor, told the portal he was “happy” that Wikileaks had clarified.

“Right is right, wrong is wrong. That is my principle,” said Liang. However, the former MP questioned why it took Wikileaks nearly five years to respond to his claims.

At the rate that resolution in this topic is going, we’ll need another five years, and maybe then we’ll have an answer.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil has issued a warning that unverified information spread by organizations and individuals via social media could result in action being taken.

 



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