Anti-Fake News Act repealed

A bill to repeal the controversial Anti-Fake News Act was passed at the Dewan Rakyat today.

The bill was passed after the third reading before Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof and received the majority vote.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin in his winding-up speech said the existing laws were sufficient and they could be amended if they were unable to address the issue of fake news.

“If we look at the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and other civil laws, it can be used as a remedy for fake news,” he said.

He added that by empowering the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM)’s investigation, it could also help deal with fake news particularly in tracking fake accounts on social media.

“Pengerang (Azalina Othman Said) said it was hard to track down those who created fake accounts on social media, but actually we need to empower the police as this fake account must be operated by someone and the technology used by international investigation agency will be able to trace those involved,” he said.

At last week’s proceedings, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong who tabled the motion to repeal the act, said it was due to the change in government policy that fake news could be dealt with under other existing laws such as Penal Code, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The bill also stated that any investigation, prosecution or proceedings with respect to any pending offences under the repealed Act, may still be continued.

A total of 12 members of parliament took part in debating the bill.

-- Bernama