NEW POLICY ON FAKE NEWS POSSIBLE
Though current policy is still enforceable, the amount of fake news circulating is ‘breaching threshold’, says Hanipa
THE government is not ruling out the possibility of formulating and implementing a new policy if the amount of fake news disseminated with regard to sensitive issues reach a “pressing” level.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said the present policies and task forces in place to combat the circulation of lies and slander were still enforceable.
Hanipa stressed that the Pakatan Harapan government had no intention of reviving the defunct Anti-Fake News Act, although the amount of fake news circulated has reached a level that he described as “breaching the threshold”.
“So far, we have not drafted any new policy.
“The existing policy, in which we are against the dissemination of sensitive contents related to 3R (Race, Religion and Royalty), is still enforceable.
“However, if the situation becomes pressing and it is needed, then we have no choice but to resort to (coming out with) a new policy,” he said here yesterday.
Present was Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith.
Hanipa, who is a deputy minister in charge of law, was asked to comment on the statement by Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who said the ministry was in the process of gathering opinions to come out with a new policy to curb the spread of fake news.
“Today (yesterday), I want to send a message to all: be careful with your actions. If you are found to be involved in any act of spreading lies and defamation, we will go after you.
“We do not care who you are. The government has every tool (to go after you). We are going to charge you in court. If it is needed, we are going to go and raid your house. Because it is (becoming) too much. You have breached the threshold.
“Having said that, we are not curtailing freedom of speech. We have no problem if you want to criticise the government. Even the prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) has been criticised by groups from outside the country, such as from Israel and India.
“The moment you resort to spreading fake news, that is too much as it will create uneasiness,” he said.
Hanipa and Eddin also announced the beginning of a new crackdown against quarters spreading fake news and lies.
They said the Attorney-General’s Chambers, police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) have set up their respective task forces to address the issue.
“I would like to issue a warning to all quarters: do not ever think that you can hide behind fake accounts (on the social media to spread lies and fake news).
“I believe with the technological advancements we have today, we can trace and locate the owner of fake accounts. This is a reminder to all,” said Eddin.
From January last year until Thursday (Feb 20), Eddin said eight people were slapped with nine charges of disseminating fake news.
During the same period, he said, MCMC received 939 complaints and conducted 62 investigations related to irresponsible persons or quarters who spread fake news.
The cases mentioned by Eddin did not include the eight cases investigated and prosecuted for spreading fake news related to the coronavirus (Covid-19).
“From the eight cases, four have been prosecuted under the Penal Code. The remaining cases, which were investigated by MCMC, are expected to be charged today (yesterday) under the Penal Code.”