‘Weapon against opposition’ untouched

Lim Guan Eng takes the government to task for not touching Section 8A of the PPPA, which he says stifles freedom of expression.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been criticised for failing to remove Section 8A of the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984 that stifles freedom of expression and press freedom.

Section 8A provides penalty for malicious false news against writers, editors and printers. Those found guilty would be imprisoned for three years and fined RM20,000.

The section, according to Penang Chief Minister and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, was used to prosecute and punish the opposition.

“Remove Section 8A and pass the Freedom of Information Act as done in Penang and Selangor,” he told a press conference in Parliament.

In 1994, Lim was charged under Section 8A and imprisoned for 18 months for allegedly publishing false news against former Malacca chief minister, Rahim Thamby Chik.

‘A political weapon’

Lim criticised Section 8A as a “political weapon to frighten the opposition”.

“Very few are charged under Section 8A and charges can only be made with the consent of the attorney-general,” he said.

This feature, the DAP secretary-general added, allowed for the section to be abused.

“I have been paid RM250,000 by Utusan Malaysia for defamation but why isn’t there action against Utusan under Section 8A?” he asked.

Lim questioned why the government practised selective prosecution since the section was not used against Utusan and Umno Online for defaming his son last year.

He suggested that instead of invoking the controversial section, those who had been falsely reported against should seek redress through the courts.