PH And BN Leaders Flooded With Spam Calls In Alleged Cyber Attacks On Polling Day
Human rights group SUARAM has urged the authorities to investigate the matter immediately.
By Tang Ruxyn — 09 May 2018, 12:41 PM
Several Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders said they have been receiving spam calls from unknown international numbers all morning today, 9 May
Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun parliamentary seat and Jitra state seat candidate), Hannah Yeoh (Segambut parliamentary seat candidate), Dr Ong Kian Ming (Bangi parliamentary seat candidate), and Teo Nie Ching (Kulai parliamentary seat candidate) are some of the PH leaders who had their phones flooded with so many international calls that it was almost impossible to answer legitimate ones this morning.
They included screenshots showing the call log on their respective phones, some of which show that the calls started coming in just minutes before polling stations were open for GE14 nationwide. It was said that this was part of the cyber attacks that are being carried out by irresponsible parties on polling day.
Malaysiakini reported Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat candidate Fahmi Fadzil as saying that major attacks are underway, aimed at Harapan leaders and candidates.
Fahmi said in a tweet on his personal account that several others from PKR who have been subjected to these attacks include Zairil Khir Johari, Elizabeth Wong, and Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Hours after the PH leaders alleged that they've been targeted by irresponsible parties, several Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have also said that they have been receiving spam calls
Those who were affected include Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, caretaker Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, and Sports and Youth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The screenshots that they included in their respective tweets show that they received the international spam calls at about 10am onwards.
It was learned that other NGOs have also not been spared from these attacks
Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 tweeted in a reply to Azalina today that it has also been receiving many spam calls and WhatsApp messages since yesterday night.
On the other hand, human rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) said they have been affected by at least two rounds of spam calls.
Caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak jumped in and expressed his disapproval about the ongoing cyber threats
SUARAM has since issued a statement to condemn the targeted harassment against political leaders and human rights defenders on voting day
"Human rights group including SUARAM and Bersih 2.0 and opposition
politician have reported constant telephone calls to their personal phone
numbers as early as 7.50AM by Malaysian number (03 2072 2090) and a series
of US (+1) phone numbers," SUARAM said in the statement.
"Harassment such as this is a clear attempt to impede the work of human
rights defenders and politicians at the critical juncture of voting day," it added.
The human rights group have urged state agencies including the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to investigate the matter immediately.
