KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 ― The Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) denied claims that the government is hastening the passage of its Anti-Fake News Bill through Parliament so it can use it on the Opposition in elections this year.
BNBBC chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad pointed out that the Bill had only been tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat and had not yet been debated or passed as required before it proceeds to the Dewan Negara.
“I foresee that the law won’t be ready to be rolled out before the GE but the Opposition has instilled it in people’s minds that the law is to victimise them,” he said during a live question-and-answer session on Umno Online’s Facebook page yesterday.
The discussion was chaired by Umno Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
Shahir who is also Johor Baru MP reiterated the government’s line that the spread of fake news especially through social media is a threat not only to democratic practices in Malaysia but also in many other countries.
He explained that it is because citizens cannot distinguish between true and fake news and make no attempt to verify hearsay before passing it on.
“The society we are in just don’t bother verifying, when you ask them where did they hear a certain information from, they will say someone had said.
“In situations like this, false news is accepted as the truth and it is a big problem when such fake news is spread like wildfire,” he said.
The government tabled the Bill in the lower House of Parliament on Monday.
The proposed law seeks to criminalise the spread of fake news by anyone on any media platform.
The Bill proposes a maximum jail sentence of 10 years and a maximum fine of RM500,000, or both, on those convicted of spreading fake news.
Those found guilty of persisting in spreading fake news will be further subject to a fine of RM100,000 if they fail to remove such publications and a fine of RM3,000 for every day the “offence” continues to be committed.
