Saifuddin: “Fake news” ordinance only to control misinformation on COVID-19 and Emergency

Concerns regarding abuse of the new Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021 are political questions, not legal ones, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said.

Saifuddin said the Ordinance is very specific — it is only about COVID-19 and the Emergency.

“Any reference to ‘anti-fake news’ or existing laws is a matter of perspective and up to individual interpretation,” he told reporters today during a press conference.

Saifuddin added that the government’s only interest is to control fake news, and its dissemination specific to two areas: COVID-19 and the Emergency.

He was responding to concerns raised by dissenters, who argue that provisions under the Ordinance (No. 2) could potentially be abused by either the government or interested parties.

“We are now under an Emergency. Whatever Ordinance passed, we are not interested whether it is Sosma or the Sedition Act.

“There is no end to this debate that this may be equal to that one or the other one.

“I don’t want to go down that route. Our intention is very clear: we are very focused only on COVID-19 and the Emergency.

“People can argue until the cows come home. I don’t want to enter into that debate because it’s not relevant,” Saifuddin said.

He also pleaded with the public for a chance to implement the Ordinance as an effort to control the spread of fake news.

“My plea to the rakyat is, give us a chance to implement this. See if we can in any way control fake news that is very specific to COVID-19 and the Emergency,” he added.

According to the Ordinance, individuals who create or publish fake news on COVID-19 or the Emergency proclamation could now face a fine of up to RM100,000 and imprisonment. ― Malay Mail

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