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Cabinet to get fake news draft bill in a week or two

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Minister Azalina Othman Said says the cabinet will decide when the bill will be tabled for debate.

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KUALA LUMPUR:
A draft bill to combat fake news will be submitted to the cabinet in a week or two, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said.

She said the cabinet would decide when the bill should be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat for debate.

“The draft is now being circulated within the ministry. We will bring the final draft to the cabinet in a week or two for a decision before tabling it in the Dewan Rakyat,” she told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Earlier, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V was at Parliament to open the first meeting of the sixth session of the 13th Parliament.

During his speech, he said social media had a significant influence in shaping the values and culture of society.

“Hence, we fully support the proposal to formulate laws to address the spread of fake news and slander in social media,” he added.

Azalina said the proposed law would differ from the Sedition Act and Defamation Act as the existing laws have a different reference to certain kinds of offences.

“If you look at social media offences such as fake news, the whole world is facing an issue of cross-jurisdiction. Offences committed on social media involve technological offences and the assessment of the offences needs to be looked at differently.”

For instance, she said, in Penal Code cases, the identification of the perpetrator and the victim is clearly stated and differs from fake news.

In fact, she said, the definition of fake news does not exist in any law, so the relevant agencies and Parliament should be allowed to discuss the issue.

Tian Chua: Why the rush?

PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the party was against fake news.

“But I wonder why Barisan Nasional (BN) is rushing this through. The implications are profound. If we do not draft it properly, it might curtail civil liberties and freedom of expression.

“The act is not contradictory to public interest. (But) it also does not mean we have to rush it through,” the Batu MP told FMT.

He said the Dewan Rakyat could have the first reading of the bill followed by more consultation with the public.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting, which began today, is expected to be the last before the next general election.

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