KUALA LUMPUR: A Barisan Nasional lawmaker has suggested for the establishment of a special unit or department to review cases related to fake news.
Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (BN-Tanah Merah) said this will ensure that the implementation of Anti-Fake News law does not trigger controversy or is being misused to abuse others.
“Investigations of cases related to fake news should not be relied upon a single agency such as the police but rather a special department under Attorney General’s Chambers.
“I am urging the Prime Minister’s Department, with help from the legislative and enforcement agencies, to make thorough preparations.
This is to ensure that the implementation of the law, once it is passed, will not create controversies and become a tool to abuse others,” he said when debating the Anti-Fake News Bill at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the special unit would investigate cases from various angles before the cases are presented to the court for trial.
“This is because when a case is brought to the court, it will not only take the court’s time but also affect the credibility and tarnish the image of a person, who in the first place might not have committed the offence.”
Ikmal Hisham also said that all parties should not be afraid of the bill if they have no intention of doing (creating and spreading) fake news.
“Regardless of who you are, either the government or opposition leaders, the media who is in favour of the government or not, you will not get away if you are found guilty of spreading fake news.”
In the debate, Ikmal Hisham also urged the government to be sterner in handling fake news that is being spread by foreign media, with intention to tarnish the country’s image.
“I am urging the government through the Foreign Ministry to ensure that our diplomats are more proactive in monitoring reports by foreign media, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, which seems to be passionate in reporting untruthful news regarding Malaysia.
“I am suggesting that an immediate response must be issued to rectify foreign media reports, like what our High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Datuk Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi did recently.
“Rasidi had rebutted the Economist over its report which disparaged Malaysia besides belittling Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.”
Reports by MOHD ANWAR PATHO ROHMAN, AHMAD SUHAEL ADNAN, NOR AIN MOHAMED RADHI AND SITI NUR MAS ERAH AMRAN