PETALING JAYA: A coalition of human rights groups has called on the Government to drop a proposed law to tackle fake news, saying it will stop people from speaking out on wrongs in the country.
“‘Fake news’ may be an increasingly popular buzzword, but it cannot serve as an excuse for the Government to censor criticism,” the coalition said in a statement Friday (March 23).
“We urge the Government to drop the proposed Bill, which we believe is yet another attempt to stifle debate and criminalise those who speak out against corruption and human rights violations,” they said.
The coalition, made up of 14 human rights groups in Malaysia, said that the Bill on fake news would add to a range of laws that have been used to violate the right to freedom of expression and undermine media freedom.
They said that with the upcoming general election, they are concerned that the Bill could be used as a dragnet to make it a crime to report on government misconduct and give critical opinions.
“Malaysian authorities have selectively prosecuted Opposition politicians, human rights defenders and journalists under existing laws for exercising their right to freedom of expression,” said the statement. Read more