Former information minister Rais Yatim today urged the public to scrutinise the Anti-Fake News Bill, pointing out that there would be wide-ranging implications.
"All Malaysians should study the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018 which has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
"It has wide implications on the government, groups, NGOs and individuals. It will provide extra work for the police and prosecutors.
"Pay attention to the definition of 'fake news' - what is it?" Rais wrote on Twitter.
Yesterday, Rais also asked what would happen if "fake news" came from the government.
Rais is presently the special adviser to the government on cultural manners, which carries the same status as a minister.
Meanwhile, Padang Serai MP N Surendran said the proposed legislation is "the biggest threat to democracy" since the country achieved independence.
"It is arbitrary, oppressive and unconstitutional. The bill defines fake news as anything wholly or partly false.
"This definition is so excessively wide, that it will lead to a paralysis of participatory democracy in our country," he said in a statement today.
Surendran (photo), who is a lawyer, opined that the proposed legislation would be in contravention of the Federal Constitution.
"Article 10(2)(a) (of the Federal Constitution) only allows restrictions on freedom of speech which is necessary for the purposes of public order.
"However, the definition of fake news in clause 3 of the bill as anything wholly or partly false, goes beyond the restriction allowed in Article 10(2)(a).
"It would include any false news, even if it is not a threat to public order. This runs afoul of Article 10(2)(a)," he said.
Surendran also condemned the hefty punishment of up to RM500,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment.
"It smacks of the extreme punishments for freedom of speech-related offences usually found in one party states such as North Korea or China.
"I call upon the government to respect democracy and the rule of law and to withdraw this Bill in its totality," he said.
'Controlling media'
Meanwhile, political cartoonist Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, said the new legislation was aimed at hiding corruption.
He said Putrajaya found it difficult to control the free flow of information on the Internet like how it controlled the mainstream media.
"Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is running scared that more exposes will affect his 'already shaken' position in the upcoming general election.
"He has to introduce another draconian law to survive. The Anti-Fake News law is a new weapon to cover-up corruption," he said -Mkini
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