Bangkok Desk, May 5 (efe-epa).- The government of Myanmar has warned it will take action over false news and rumors it claims are being disseminated to cause instability and confusion, state-run media said Friday.
In a statement published by the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper, the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said false news about the president and state counselor had been spread by accounts with fake names bearing the acronym of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which were then being picked up and circulated on social media sites.
"It has been found that these acts are being done intentionally to cause political instability during the tenure of the incumbent government which took office in accord with the election results of the 2015 multi-party democracy election, and to create a situation among the people to live in fear and anxiety due to the spread of rumors," the statement said.
The state counselor's office warned that arrangements were being made to "take action" over the issue, and noted that people should "be careful and not fall easily for the fabricated news and rumors which are being circulated by destructive elements."
After nearly five decades of military dictatorship, Suu Kyi's party won the general election in November 2015 and formed the government four months later.
Although there are still severe restrictions to press freedom, media outlets have multiplied along with greater access to the internet in recent years.