GEORGE TOWN, March 9 — DAP is likely to support Putrajaya’s move to introduce a law against fake news if it ensures proper safeguards, its Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said today.
By safeguards, Ramkarpal said he meant the proposed law must include the definition of fake news as well as who gets to define it.
“We need to know which party will determine the fake news and what is defined as fake news.
“If this is not looked through in detail and the law scrutinised thoroughly, it means anyone can announce something as fake news when it is not fake,” he said at a press conference at the Penang DAP headquarters here.
Ramkarpal, who is also a lawyer, said such safeguards will provide clarity and prevent the possibility of abuse by those keen to stop “real news” from being published by declaring it fake news.
“So, if there are safeguards in place to prevent this and to ensure the law is misused, DAP will maybe support the Bill,” he said, adding that the contents of the proposed law were still unknown.
“We have to wait and see what is in the Bill first before committing our support for it,” he said.
Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto, who was also at the same press conference, said almost all of the Barisan Nasional backbenchers in Parliament spoke about fake news in their speeches.
“They might use this on us to curtail freedom of speech and the act will be misused to suppress dissent,” she claimed.
The federal government set up a special committee to study the introduction of a new law to combat the spread of misinformation under the guise of “news”, which it said can threaten political stability, the multicultural country’s racial and religious harmony, and public order.
The Cabinet is expected to discuss the proposal again at its meeting next week before it decides whether or not to table the draft at the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, seen as the last before Parliament is dissolved to pave the way for general elections this year.
