PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced today that the Anti-Fake News law will be retained, but reworked. 

“Fake news will be given a clearer definition so that newspapermen will understand what fake news means,” he said in a live telecast this afternoon.

“Newspapers can pro this and pro that, but we will not censor them as long as their reports are based on the truth. Any reports that instigate people to fight, that will not be allowed,” he said. 

“But if they (newspapers) publish reports that are merely critical, then no action will be taken.”

The controversial anti-fake news bill was introduced in Parliament on March 26 and passed on April 2. 

The law’s scope is broad and defines fake news as “any news, information, data and reports, which is or are wholly or partly false, whether in the form of features, visuals or audio recordings or any other form capable of suggesting words or ideas”. 

The bill makes it an offence to create and disseminate fake news, as well as to provide financial assistance to facilitate the spread of fake news. The maximum jail term for offenders is six years (reduced from 10 years during parliamentary debate) with a maximum fine of RM500,000.

What is considered “false” is not clearly defined, leaving room for ambiguity and interpretation in the bill’s enforcement, critics said. 

One of Pakatan Harapan’s pledges was to repeal the law, saying it curbed freedom of expression and the punishment too harsh. – May 13, 2018