THE controversial Anti Fake News Act 2018 was repealed after a three-hour debate at the Dewan Rakyat today. 

The bill for repeal was tabled for second reading by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Hanipa Maidin before lunch.

After a three-hour debate, the law was scrapped at 5pm. 

During the debate, Hanipa sparred with former law minister Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN), who had rushed the law through before the last general election.

n her argument, Azalina advised the government to tweak instead of scrap the law as it was still relevant in view of “fake news”.

Hanipa replied that existing laws such as the Sedition Act, Printing Presses and Publication Act, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act and Penal Code were sufficient to deal with “fake news”.

“This law was passed to stop the public, media outlets and the then-opposition from highlighting the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal. 

“The current laws are sufficient to address fake news issues,” said the Sepang MP.

It was on Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto to scrap some of the controversial laws passed under the Barisan Nasional government, including the anti-fake news act.

The law was rushed through in April and immediately gazetted ahead of the last elections.

Under the law, those found guilty of producing or disseminating what is adjudged to be fake news could be fined up to RM500,000 or jailed up to six years. – August 17, 2018.