Malaysia wants ‘fake news’ fine

The Malaysian government yesterday proposed a “fake news” law which would carry a maximum 10-year jail term, including for articles published abroad, sparking fears of a crackdown on dissent as elections loom.

Governments in several countries, emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s fulminations against “fake news”, are considering such legislation. But rights groups warn that authoritarian regimes are likely to use such laws to silence opposing voices.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has already been targeting critics in politics and the media who have attacked him over allegations that huge sums were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Najib and the fund deny any wrongdoing.

The proposed law, introduced in parliament yesterday, fuelled fears the government is seeking to intensify a clampdown before a general election, which must be called by August.

Opposition MP Charles Santiago said the Bill was “a powerful weapon for the government to silence dissent in the country”.

“It is timed for the elections and to silence discussions on 1MDB.”

The Bill, which described fake news as a “global concern”, includes a maximum 10 years in jail or fine of up to 500 000 ringgit (R1.5 million) for anyone guilty of creating or disseminating what authorities deem to be fake news.

It said anyone – including foreigners – who breaks the law outside the country by publishing fake news can face punishment in Malaysia, as long as what is published concerns Malaysia or a Malaysian citizen.

Fahmi Fadzil, spokesperson for the opposition People’s Justice Party, said it suggested the government was seeking to target foreign media, which have led the coverage of 1MDB.

Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director for Human Rights Watch, accused the Malaysian government of using “Trump-style scare tactics to grant itself powers to arbitrarily determine what people can say about Malaysia”. –