Anti-Fake News Act to be repealed
> Bill to be tabled for first reading in Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: A bill to repeal the controversial Anti-Fake News Act 2018 (Act 803) was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
According to the bill, the decision to repeal the act was due to the change in policy of the new federal government and that issues of fake news can already be dealt with by existing laws.
This included the Penal Code, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“As such, Act 803 is no longer relevant,” it said.
It also states that any ongoing case or application for an order made under the act prior to implementation of the repeal bill will still be continued.
“On the date of coming into operation of this Act (Repeal Bill), any application for an order under the repealed act 803 made prior to the date of coming into operation of this act (Repeal Bill) or any proceedings in respect of such application pending under the repealed act may be continued as the repealed act is still in force.
The second reading will be done during the current sitting.
The act, which drew heavy criticism from Pakatan Harapan (PH) when it was first mooted, was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on April 2, several days before Parliament concluded its 13th session, and was gazetted on April 11.
Under the act, offenders face imprisonment of up to six years and a maximum fine of RM500,000, sentences which many quarters have criticised as being too extreme. On another matter, Bernama reported that Liew’s written reply in Parliament pertaining to the allegation that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had RM230 million in cash assets was misconstrued.
The minister’s office, in a statement, denied that Liew had said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s allegation over Ahmad Zahid’s assets made before the 14th general election was false.
It said Liew, who is the de facto law minister, was merely explaining that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission would investigate the allegation “if there is evidence”.