Mat Sabu launches book, warns Malaysians against propaganda, urges facts over allegations

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has warned Malaysians against accepting allegations without proper investigation, warning that doing so could foster a sense of 'asabiyyah', or group loyalty even when it is unwarranted, while diminishing the positive actions of others. He urged the public to question the veracity of information before forming opinions, especially in the current political climate.

At a book launch for his new work, "Mustadhafin vs Mustakbirin," co-authored with Ennie Zuhasniza Jamaludin, Sabu discussed his experiences of rejecting propaganda and seeking facts directly. He contrasted the ease with which accusations and speculations can spread via social media with the more difficult process of acquiring and understanding information.

The book, which Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar, a National Journalism Laureate and Star Media Group Berhad director, launched, is a personal account of Sabu's efforts to comprehend issues based on the actual situation, rather than on hearsay. Sabu stated that as a child, he was taught to verify information independently instead of accepting what was being propagated.

In "Mustadhafin vs Mustakbirin," he reflects on global political trends, drawing from his own observations while touching on subjects such as colonialism, the Islamic movement, the Palestinian conflict, and changing global power structures.