Police Commissioner Warns Public Against Sharing Police Actions On Social Media
The recent case of sharing police roadblock location on social media raises concerns about the potential risks of sharing sensitive information related to law enforcement operations.
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Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri has warned the public not to share any police actions on social media platforms.
In a recent video statement, he cited a case where a user shared the location of police roadblocks on social media, which could potentially disrupt police operations.
Mohd Azman emphasized that exposing police actions on social media could lead to sharing online content that is obscene, indecent, false, threatening, or offensive under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Such content could be considered as intended to harass, abuse, threaten or harass another person, and offenders could face fines of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year.
Moreover, he added that police could investigate such cases under the Criminal Code and the Official Secrets Act 1972.
The Sarawak Police Commissioner’s statement reminds the public to be mindful of what they share on social media, especially regarding sensitive information related to law enforcement operations.
Sharing such information could potentially put the safety of police personnel and the public at risk and compromise ongoing investigations by allowing criminals to avoid detection and escape law enforcement.
Undermining Law Enforcement And Encouraging Reckless Driving
In response to these concerns, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has reportedly requested that Waze remove the feature that allows users to share the locations of police roadblocks.
Waze is a popular navigation app that allows users to share real-time traffic updates and alerts with other users.
In Malaysia, some users have been sharing the locations of police roadblocks on the app, which has raised concerns among law enforcement officials.
However, it is unclear whether Waze has complied with this request.
Suruh @freewelcoming tengok waze sbb nak elak polis, last skali member salah tengok terus jumpa abam polis. Time tu tak de lesen, asyik lah takut jumpa roadblock. Time ada lesen tak de pulak roadblock nye https://t.co/tWIaSfgSDc
— Sabrina (@sab_soii) August 18, 2022
In some cases, Malaysians use Waze to evade police roadblocks out of a general distrust of law enforcement or a desire to exercise their right to privacy.
Some Malaysians defend sharing police roadblock locations on Waze as a form of citizenry and transparency.
Jarang aku tengok polis yg gi rumah bantu orang, tanya khabar. Join aktiviti masyarakat setempat. Hubungan dgn komuniti xde langsung. Ko bukan askar keje dduk dlm hutan. Selalu nmpak dkt roadblock jela, tu pn mintak duit kopi lg.
— Pendeta (@PendetaSang) April 2, 2022
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