Malaysia’s government Monday pushed a law through parliament
that makes “fake news” punishable with a maximum six-year jail term
despite an outcry from critics worried it will be used to stifle
dissent before elections.
The law targets foreign as well as local media and is seen in
part as an effort to silence criticism of the scandal surrounding
sovereign wealth fund 1MDB that has rocked the administration of
Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The election is expected within weeks and Najib is battling to
win a third term in office at the head of the coalition that has
led Malaysia for over six decades.
After a debate spanning much of Monday and last week Thursday
afternoon, parliament — which is dominated by the ruling Barisan
Nasional (BN) coalition — voted in favour of the new law.
The law originally proposed a maximum prison sentence of 10
years and fine of 500,000 ringgit ($130,000) for publishing what
authorities deem to be fake news, but the government lowered the
jail term to six years following a storm of criticism.
“This law is not intended to restrict the freedom of speech, but
to restrict the dissemination of fake news,” said Minister Azalina
Othman Said.
But opposition Members of Parliament were not convinced,
criticising the law’s heavy penalties and its potential to limit
free speech.
“This bill … is a weapon to close the truth so that what is
false can be upheld as true, and what is true can be reversed as
false,” said Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party.
“This is something very dangerous for our country.”
The law will still have to be debated in the Senate, though it
is expected to be passed with more than half of the Senate filled
with Barisan Nasional members.
After this, it will have to be sent to the King for his royal
assent before it can take effect.
The new law has sparked widespread anger among activists, press
freedom groups and the opposition, who believe it is more aimed at
cracking down on dissenting voices than safeguarding the public
from false information.
Before the law was passed, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human
Rights Watch, condemned it as a “blatant attempt by the government
to prevent any and all news that it doesn’t like, whether about
corruption or elections”.
He said it “uses draconian penalties and broad language in an
audacious and unprecedented effort to control discussion of
Malaysia worldwide”.
The law covers any information that is deemed to be “wholly or
partly fake”.
It includes several examples, such as a blogger publishing a
report known to be false; someone sharing information on social
media they know to be false; and someone giving a speech containing
information they know to be untrue.
Malaysia is one of several countries in Asia turning to such
legislation, emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s fulminations
against “fake news”, but activists warn authoritarian regimes will
use the laws to target opponents.
Malaysia ranks 144th out of 180 countries in the 2017 World
Press Freedom Index.
AFP
Malaysia’s government Monday pushed a law through parliament
that makes “fake news” punishable with a maximum six-year jail term
despite an outcry from critics worried it will be used to stifle
dissent before elections.
The law targets foreign as well as local media and is seen in
part as an effort to silence criticism of the scandal surrounding
sovereign wealth fund 1MDB that has rocked the administration of
Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The election is expected within weeks and Najib is battling to
win a third term in office at the head of the coalition that has
led Malaysia for over six decades.
After a debate spanning much of Monday and last week Thursday
afternoon, parliament — which is dominated by the ruling Barisan
Nasional (BN) coalition — voted in favour of the new law.
The law originally proposed a maximum prison sentence of 10
years and fine of 500,000 ringgit ($130,000) for publishing what
authorities deem to be fake news, but the government lowered the
jail term to six years following a storm of criticism.
“This law is not intended to restrict the freedom of speech, but
to restrict the dissemination of fake news,” said Minister Azalina
Othman Said.
But opposition Members of Parliament were not convinced,
criticising the law’s heavy penalties and its potential to limit
free speech.
“This bill … is a weapon to close the truth so that what is
false can be upheld as true, and what is true can be reversed as
false,” said Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party.
“This is something very dangerous for our country.”
The law will still have to be debated in the Senate, though it
is expected to be passed with more than half of the Senate filled
with Barisan Nasional members.
After this, it will have to be sent to the King for his royal
assent before it can take effect.
The new law has sparked widespread anger among activists, press
freedom groups and the opposition, who believe it is more aimed at
cracking down on dissenting voices than safeguarding the public
from false information.
Before the law was passed, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human
Rights Watch, condemned it as a “blatant attempt by the government
to prevent any and all news that it doesn’t like, whether about
corruption or elections”.
He said it “uses draconian penalties and broad language in an
audacious and unprecedented effort to control discussion of
Malaysia worldwide”.
The law covers any information that is deemed to be “wholly or
partly fake”.
It includes several examples, such as a blogger publishing a
report known to be false; someone sharing information on social
media they know to be false; and someone giving a speech containing
information they know to be untrue.
Malaysia is one of several countries in Asia turning to such
legislation, emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s fulminations
against “fake news”, but activists warn authoritarian regimes will
use the laws to target opponents.
Malaysia ranks 144th out of 180 countries in the 2017 World
Press Freedom Index.
AFP
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