An image of a mosque for illustration purposes
by Dr Rahim Said
On the stormy evening of March 12, social media was abuzz with alarming headlines: “Masjid Jamek Collapsed!” The news spread like wildfire, triggering panic among netizens.
But as it turns out, the historic Masjid Jamek—the landmark mosque at the heart of Kuala Lumpur—was never in danger. Instead, what crumbled was a wall panel at the Masjid Jamek LRT station, brought down by strong winds and heavy rain.
This is yet another case of how misinformation can spiral out of control. A misleading headline and dramatic images can set off unnecessary fear and confusion.
In this case, one of KL’s most iconic religious sites was falsely declared “collapsed” simply because the nearby LRT station suffered damage. Within hours, the misleading claim was shared across social media, fuelling baseless speculation.
A few hours later, one news portal released an accurate report: a section of the LRT station’s wall had given way due to the storm, but no casualties were reported, and train services remained operational.
However, by the time the facts emerged, the damage was already done—social media users had latched onto the viral claim, many without reading the actual news.
This is not an isolated incident. We live in an era where speed often takes precedence over accuracy. Viral news, especially those relying on sensationalist captions, can cause unnecessary alarm.
The phrase “Masjid Jamek Collapsed” was enough to make people assume the worst, even before checking credible sources.
The lesson here is simple: verify before you share. As consumers of digital news, we must be critical of what we see online. A single tweet or a dramatic photo does not always tell the full story.
When in doubt, refer to trusted news sources instead of relying on social media hearsay.
Misinformation, like a collapsing wall, can have serious consequences—except, in this case, it is trust and credibility that crumble.
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