A housewife and a tutor are the first individuals in the country to be charged in court under the emergency ordinance for spreading fake news related to the Covid-19 virus and vaccines.

In Perlis, Norjannah Rusli, 28, was fined RM5,000, in default five months’ jail, by the Kangar Sessions Court after she pleaded guilty to spreading fake news pertaining to the pandemic via WhatsApp, with the intention to create fear and concern among the public.

The offence was...