We have enough laws to act on fake news, says Gobind

SEREMBAN: Existing laws in the country are sufficient for the government to take action against individuals spreading false information and news, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

As such, he said the question of reintroducing the repealed Anti-Fake News Act to address the matter does not arise. “It is not a question of whether there is a law or not. The law is there, and yesterday, action was taken using provisions under the Penal Code.

“The question (now) is whether we can stop the spread of fake news altogether,” he told reporters after attending the “Info on Wheels” programme at Pasar Besar Seremban here yesterday.

“We are implementing initiatives or campaigns seeking (public) cooperation to reduce (the spread of fake news) and if possible, stop it.”

“Info on Wheels” is a programme by the Information Department’s Mobile Public Announcement Unit to disseminate government information and policies face-to-face to the public.

Gobind said although fake news were being spread, the number of cases has dropped following the campaign by the government seeking public cooperation to curb it.

“This is a time for us to work together to ensure what we read and share can help us prevent and solve a problem effectively,” he added.

On the coronavirus, also a target of fake news, Gobind advised the public to visit the Health Ministry’s Facebook and Twitter platforms, as well as follow media conference by the ministry, for latest updates. The public could also refer to the portal Sebenarnya.my, RTM or Bernama.

Gobind thanked reporters for their role in providing accurate and true information. – Bernama