PUTRAJAYA must not give up on moves to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act, after it was rejected by the Dewan Negara, said the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

CPJ Asia Programme Coordinator Steven Butler said the Pakatan Harapan government should continue making efforts to get this law off the books.

“CPJ is very disappointed that the senators did not follow through and repeal the law.

“We would encourage the government to continue making efforts,” he told The Malaysian Insight following a briefing in New York on Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation organised by the Foreign Press Centre recently.

CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organisation that promotes press freedom worldwide.

Pakatan had suffered its first defeat in Parliament last month when the Dewan Negara voted against a bill to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act.

The block voting saw 28 opposition senators comprising Barisan Nasional and PAS voting against while 21 Pakatan Harapan senators supported the bill to repeal the law. Three abstained.

The Dewan Rakyat had voted to repeal the Anti-Fake News Act on August 16.

Butler, said that the law creates a minefield for journalists and is potentially subject to arbitrary use and abuse by enforcers.

“The biggest fear is that it will be used as a weapon of political oppression to go after unwelcome comments or embarrassing news stories.”

“While inaccurate reporting and fabricated stories are a problem, the cures can be much worse than the disease,” he said.

Pakatan Harapan says there is no need for the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 due to the existence of other laws, such as the Penal Code (Act 574) and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588).

The Anti-Fake News Act was passed by Parliament on April 2 and was officially gazetted on April 11 despite strong objection from PH lawmakers, rights activists and media practitioners.

The legislation provides for stiff punishments of up to six years in prison and a maximum fine of RM500,000.

CPJ Advocacy and Communications Manager Kerry Paterson said that there has been an increase in journalists being harassed online and abused.

“Threats to press freedom do not only exist in war zones but also in countries all over the world… where local journalists face threats.

“What we do is try to help those who are writing or reporting critically,” she said.

Paterson said that governments around the world were using “fake news” to dismiss information that they don’t like.

“Our position is that nobody should be jailed for an act of journalism. We are here to defend the right of journalists to report.

“Every government could do more to protect the freedom of the press,” she said. – October 17, 2018.