Malaysia scraps Anti-Fake News Act
In August 2018, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Bill to repeal the Act.
PETALING JAYA (Web Desk) - Malaysia has scrapped the Anti-Fake News Act - a law criminalizing fake news - on the second attempt after the Senate passed it.
According to Straits Times, Malaysian Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said the repeal was in accordance with the government s commitment to abolish draconian laws and ensure the media has the freedom to "check and balance" the administration.
"This tyranny is history that we do not want to repeat. We cannot enslave humans through draconian laws because freedom is the most precious thing," he said during the winding-up session.
Mr Hanipa told Bernama news agency that the existing laws were adequate and could be amended should they be insufficient to tackle fake news.
This was Pakatan Harapan s second attempt at abolishing the controversial Act introduced by Barisan Nasional just before the 14th General Election in May last year.
Under the law, those found guilty of spreading what the authorities deemed as fake news could be jailed for up to six years and fined up to RM500,000 (S$164,000).
In August 2018, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Bill to repeal the Act, but it hit a roadblock in the Senate when the Barisan majority rejected it late last year.
