| Azlan Othman |
RUMOUR mongers continue to thrive in Brunei, exploiting new media technology and disregarding social etiquette.
As the social media is flooding with unfounded reports, authorities are faced with a hard task in dousing the wildfire of false news every time it starts spreading.
The latest authority to come out to battle the social media rumour mill is the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE), Prime Minister’s Office, which yesterday issued a statement to quash a ‘report’ circulated on the Internet which claimed that prices of goods in the country are going to skyrocket soon.
The department said the social media post, which went viral causing a massive public concern, is absolutely false and unfounded.
It urged the public not to make any speculation on the prices of goods or spread unverified information through the social media, while seeking their cooperation in checking the spread of false news in the society.
In the statement, the department also reminded members of the public that it is an offence to spread false information under Section 34 of the Public Order Act, Chapter 148 which states that any person who, whether orally or in writing or by any other means, spreads false reports or makes false statements that are likely to cause public alarm or despondency shall be guilty of an offence and can be punished with a fine of $3,000 and imprisonment of up to three years.
The false report listed the new prices of daily food necessities and claimed that the rise in prices is the result of the amendments to tax rate announced by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) two weeks ago.
The report, among others, pointed out that prices of basic food necessities will see an increase of up to 30 per cent. Price of a bottle of fizzy drink will rise from $1.90-$3.90; price of popular instant noodle Indo Mie will go up from $1.70-$2.80; and chicken price will increase from $3.90-$4.50 per kilogramme, according to the price list circulated through social media which also claimed that the price of furniture items will see a 45 per cent hike.
Under the Price Control Act, Chapter 142, JPKE is mandated to control and monitor the prices of goods listed under the Act including passenger motor vehicles, formulated powdered milk, cooking oil, rice and sugar.
JPKE will take appropriate action against sellers who are found charging above the set maximum prices, the department said in the statement.
Two weeks ago, MoF announced that drinks with high sugar content of six grammes per 100 ml and above will be taxed at $4 per deca litre starting April 1. This means that a can of soft drink will cost only 13 cents more. If the sugar content is below six grammes per 100 ml, no tax will be imposed.
The move was made to improve the health and well-being of citizens and residents in the country.
The ministry further said sugar and cocoa food products will be taxed three per cent (zero per cent previously) starting April 1, while food products containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) will be taxed 30 per cent (zero per cent previously).
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