Kuala Lumpur, March 26: In a bid to combat fake news, the Malaysian government today proposed a law which could see false news offenders jailed for 10 years.
The proposed law said fake news was becoming a global concern and the new legislation was aimed at safeguarding the public, as well as ensuring the right to freedom of expression.
Opposition MP Charles Santiago said the bill was a powerful weapon for the government to silence dissent in the country. “It is timed for the elections and to silence discussions on sovereign wealth fund 1MDB,” he said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has already been targeting critics in politics and the media who have attacked him over allegations huge sums were looted from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. Najib and the fund deny any wrongdoing.
Any person found guilty of creating or disseminating what authorities deem to be fake news can be punished with a maximum 10 years in jail or a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit (USD 130,000).
The bill also allows for anyone who breaks the law outside the country with what authorities deem to be fake news concerning Malaysia to face punishment in Malaysia.
The bill must be approved by a majority in the 222-seat lower house and also in the upper house, and this is likely as both chambers are government-controlled. It needs to go through several readings in parliament before it passes.