Dr M: Harapan will abolish fake news law once it comes into power

The Pakatan Harapan coalition will abolish the anti-fake news law, together with other draconian laws it had already promised to repeal, once it comes into power.

Its chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018 that is still pending in the Senate and the Election Commission’s redelineation report gazetted last week should have been seriously debated in Parliament.

“But instead it (redelineation report) was passed within two hours, so the Parliament has become mere play acting. There is no seriousness nor desire to let people debate.

“Thus they have passed the redelineation report, and another law on fake news. Our position is that when we form the government, we will abolish or repeal these laws together with other laws that are oppressive to the people,” he told reporters at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Parliament today.

He was speaking to reporters after chairing the Pakatan Harapan presidential council.

The EC’s redelineation report was passed by the Dewan Rakyat with a 129-80 vote on March 28 despite protests and critics claiming that it would exacerbate existing malapportionment and gerrymandering.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia only allowed six representatives from BN and five representatives from the opposition to participate in the debate and each representative was allocated only ten minutes.

The report was gazetted the day after the Dewan Rakyat passed it.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has denied that the new boundaries "favour certain parties".

The Anti-Fake News Bill 2018, meanwhile, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat with some amendments after a two-day debate and was tabled for its second reading at the Senate earlier today.

'Oppressive' provisions

The proposed law stipulates a jail term up to six years and a fine of up to RM500,000 for those who maliciously produce or disseminate “fake news” which critics say is too vaguely defined.

Mahathir said other draconian laws that will be repealed by Harapan once it comes to power include the Sedition Act 1948, the Prevention of Crime Act 1959, the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, the National Security Council Act 2016 and any provision for a mandatory death penalty.

Harapan will also abolish “oppressive” provisions in the Penal Code, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015. - Mkini