CYBERJAYA, Jan 28 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today said the ministry has launched a fact-checking chatbot to verify fake news and information on WhatsApp.

He said the chatbot named Artificial Intelligence Fact-Check Assistant (AIFA) is part of the government’s initiative to curb misinformation and promote digital literacy among Malaysians.

“Today marks another milestone with the launch of a chatbot application on the WhatsApp platform. This initiative is tied to the widespread use of WhatsApp across all levels of society, where messages are often forwarded without verification.

“Many view WhatsApp as a source of news and information, even though some messages appear official but are actually fake,” he said during his speech at the launch of Chatbot Sebenarnya.my here today.

He also said that the AIFA is designed to allow users to submit questionable messages for verification.

Fahmi explained that for now, the chatbot focuses on verifying text-based information, but is expected to handle images and videos in the near future.

“AIFA is an essential tool in empowering society with accurate information.

“According to data from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), 20,000 pieces of fake news content were detected last year.

“Of this, 17,245 were removed from social media platforms after being confirmed as false. As of 27 January 2025, 1,575 fake news items have been identified, and 1,233 have been successfully taken down,” he added.

Fahmi said the chatbot supports multiple languages, including Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil.

He also said that the ministry also plans to integrate more features to allow verification of multimedia content in the future.

“MCMC will continue working closely with social media platforms and enforcement agencies to tackle the spread of fake news.

“This effort will also be expanded through 1,100 Digital Community Centres nationwide to ensure all Malaysians, regardless of background can fully utilise this initiative,” Fahmi added.