GEORGE TOWN, May 14 — The Anti-Fake News Act gazetted just four months ago, will be abolished, incoming Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
Lim who is also DAP secretary-general said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government is committed to removing the controversial law entirely.
“Even though we are the government now, we can’t be the one to determine what is true and what is false, as provided in the Act. Just because we say something is true, doesn’t mean it’s true and just because we say something is false, doesn’t mean it is false,” he told a press conference at the Khazanah Nasional office here.
He said the Anti-Fake News law is wrong as anyone found guilty of spreading it could be jailed up to six years.
“We can’t put someone in jail for this. It is against freedom of press and against people’s fundamental rights,” he said.
Lim was responding to questions on his stand about the Act after Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reportedly said the law will not be abolished but will be “properly defined”.
“I will have to clarify with the prime minister on this tomorrow when I meet him,” he said.
He expressed his confidence in the prime minister having the same stand in wanting the law to be abolished.
“I am confident his position on this remains the same,” he said.
