Kuala Lumpur: The introduction of Chatbot Sebenarnya.my, also known as Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), by the Communications Ministry is a commendable effort to prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation, said Kluang Member of Parliament Wong Shu Qi. She emphasized that this initiative is much needed given the widespread dissemination of inaccurate information across social media platforms and applications such as WhatsApp.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong pointed out that consumers, especially senior citizens who often receive messages via WhatsApp, can easily fact-check information through this chatbot. This is crucial because many Malaysians lack sufficient media or digital literacy to protect themselves from scams. Wong highlighted that false information causes unrest in Malaysia’s multicultural society and leads to financial losses for consumers.

Wong noted that in 2024, Malaysia recorded RM54.4 billion in losses due to fraud cases, and it is high time the public was encouraged to verify the authenticity of information they received through social media. She added that the chatbot also gives consumers easy access to the database of fraud cases and facts, which helps to raise awareness and curb the spread of fake information.

The AIFA initiative, led by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), is a user-friendly platform accessible 24/7 through https://sebenarnya.my/ and WhatsApp platform at 03-86887997. During the launch, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil mentioned that AIFA will also play an important role in enhancing the functions of the Sebenarnya portal, which has three main objectives: to help the public verify and obtain accurate information quickly and easily, to accelerate responses to false information online, and to strengthen the role of Sebenarnya in addressing the spread of fake news in Malaysia.