DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, in criticising the fake news emergency ordinance, questioned whether it would be used against the likes of Dr Rafidah Abdullah.
Rafidah, who is a nephrologist popular on Twitter, had highlighted complaints that officials from the Kelantan state secretariat were trying to jump the queue for the Covid-19 vaccine.
This was strongly denied by the Kelantan state government, which lodged a police report on the matter.
"Will Rafidah now be liable to prosecution under the fake news emergency ordinance which comes into effect today, making her liable to a fine up to RM100,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both?" Lim asked in a statement today.
While the Kelantan state government denied the queue-jumping allegations, curiously, the state Health Department and state government rearranged the list of those who will be among the earliest to receive the Covid-19 vaccine on March 2.
A source familiar with the matter told Malaysiakini that the list might have been rearranged after the queue-jumping allegations surfaced.
De facto Covid-19 vaccination minister Khairy Jamaluddin has called for whistleblowers to be protected.
The fake news emergency ordinance, among others, provides for a RM100,000 fine, three-year imprisonment term, or both, for the publication and distribution of “fake news” relating to Covid-19 or the emergency proclamation.
It also gives anyone found to have published “fake news” a 24-hour notice to take down the said post or be liable to an RM100,000 fine.
It allows the courts to order police to take “necessary measures” to take down “fake news”, and allows the police access to computerised data, including passwords and encryption codes, or risk a fine, jail term, or both.
Besides Rafidah, Lim also questioned whether Pakatan Harapan leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, and Mohamad Sabu would also be prosecuted under the ordinance.
This, he said, is over their joint statement on Jan 12 rejecting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s explanations that an emergency declaration, and the suspension of Parliament and elections, were needed to counter the third wave of Covid-19 infections.
Critics have accused Muhyiddin of seeking an emergency after he lost majority control of the Dewan Rakyat when two Umno MPs withdrew their support.
The prime minister has since secured the defections of two PKR lawmakers to make up the support deficit.
'Catch-all definition'
In a separate statement, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the party condemned the imposition of harsh penalties and a "catch-all provision of fake news” relating to the Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021 effective March 11.
"Granting such sweeping powers to the government effectively means that the government will decide what is fake news and who to prosecute.
"This disturbing expansion of the catch-all definition of fake news impinges on the constitutional right to freedom of expression as well as freedom of the press.
"Further, how will this new fake news law encourage whistleblowers to expose malpractices and wrongdoings, including matters related to Covid-19 measures and the emergency proclamation suspending Parliament?" said Lim who is also Bagan MP.
He added that the fake news law could also stifle fundamental freedoms and silence the democratic right to dissent.
"It could also place at risk independent and impartial online news portals, offering alternative views to the mainstream government media.
"This new law should first be debated and passed in Parliament. Unfortunately, Parliament continues to be suspended even though the king had opined that the emergency proclamation does not preclude the convening of Parliamentary meetings," said Lim.
He added that he would seek an early Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting to discuss the "distressing development" of the fake news law that has "further encroached on the declining democratic space in Malaysia". - Mkini
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