‘Final draft of proposed fake news law not with cabinet yet’
CYBERJAYA: The final draft of the proposed legislation on addressing the circulation of fake news has not been tabled to the Cabinet yet, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
He said he was informed that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who chairs the special committee on the proposed law, had met various quarters to obtain input for the draft.
“We decided that prior to the draft being tabled to the Cabinet, she should meet as many quarters as possible for views and feedback on the matter,” he said to reporters after launching the mobile application, SEBENARNYA.MY, here yesterday.
On the penalties to be imposed under the proposed Act, Salleh said he had no information on the matter because he did not sit on the special committee.
On March 5, Azalina said the final draft of the new Act aimed at addressing the circulation of fake news would be tabled to the Cabinet soon prior to its tabling in the Dewan Rakyat.
Asked about a proposal to amend the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, Salleh said the ministry had not been invited as yet to discuss the matter. The Act comes under the purview of the Home Ministry.
However, he said, the proposal would take into consideration the developments in the country and abroad.
“A lot of things must be looked into as you know there is the new media now. Printing is not necessary for an established newspaper, it can be online. So, maybe they are looking into it,” he said. — Bernama