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Yoursay: Would you trust a criminal with a loaded gun?

YOURSAY | ‘If PPPA is already there to prevent fake news, why is there one more law?’

Najib reveals fake news law gazetted at Journalists' Day launch, allays concerns

Gerard Lourdesamy: If the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA) has provided for fake news, what then was the need to rush with the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 (AFN)?

“Local culture and sensitivities” do not mean covering up the misdeeds, corruption and abuses of the political leadership.

The only restraints on freedom of expression and the freedom of the press should be incitement to racial and religious hatred or acts of violence.

Very often, “local context” is the excuse used by the government to censor the media and the public. In a democracy, that is not permitted.

Why should fundamental rights be qualified based on culture and values? Kleptocracy is hardly an Asian value.

Pakcik Am: Indeed, if the PPPA is already there to prevent fake news, why is there one more law? Are all Malaysians so wicked and so bad? Do you need more than one law?

What about the guarantee in the Federal Constitution that all citizens have the fundamental right to freedom of expression?

Laws upon laws are passed to suppress the rakyat. Is this not oppression of the highest degree?

Chokstone: Would you trust a criminal with a loaded gun? See how easy it was to pass this bill in Parliament. These so-called leaders are destroying our country.

All media should highlight the present extreme situation before it is too late. All the consumers of ‘dedak’ who enable this tyrannical regime to achieve its evil intentions must be voted out in the 14th general election.

We have no choice left. Vote, or be permanently wiped out.

Fairman: The government has no business declaring May 29 as National Journalists Day. Globally, May 3 is celebrated as Press Freedom Day.

Or is caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak implying that National Journalists Day is only for those compliant with the executive branch?

What has happened today is similar to Indonesia, which celebrates its own National Press Day - an event organised by those close to the powers-that-be.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Malaysiakini was not invited to this event because it will be the first to be targeted.

The AFN was specially designed to close Malaysiakini before GE14 to black out news on the opposition. I will be surprised if Malaysiakini is unmolested in the run-up to ‘D-Day’ on May 9.

Clever Voter: Of course, BN would have preferred the public stick to mainstream media outlets like Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times or even The Star. And for those who prefer visual, TV3.

There are also the state newsletters, minus those from Selangor and Penang, which will no doubt be strangled somehow. Annually they will take turns to receive National Journalists Day award from one another.

A perfect scenario, but what they don't realise is that they can only alter reality so much. The people will get their news somehow.

Vijay47: I agree that a Media Council would go far in removing the hesitation and apprehension that the local press would harbour with the passing of the AFN and the other numerous legislation.

To ensure that the Media Council plays an effective role in the propagation of news, it should be chaired by the head of Bernama and contain members from Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, TV3, and The Star, giving the council the desired ‘freedom with a local flavour.’

And under no circumstances should Malaysiakini be allowed anywhere in the vicinity; their exclusion would assure everyone of the brand of ‘press freedom’ that Najib defends.

Little Mouse: I can't imagine how it is that senior journalists would not walk out of a National Journalists Day celebration attended by the same person who will shackle them.

Wait, I take that back, I do know how.

JD Lovrenciear: Don't blame Najib for this. It is Malaysians themselves and the media fraternity here that made this possible. They lacked courage and conviction. Bread and butter was paramount, not fundamental principles.

And will this same attitude and mindset continue on May 9, 2018? In all likelihood.

World's 'first' Anti-Fake News Act comes into power as nation prepares for polls

Reverse123: This must also be the world's shortest law with just 12 pages. Probably the world's first federal law with examples of alleged fake news.

And perhaps the first to affect the commercial world. Advertisements, investment offerings, even financial reports won’t be spared. The court system would be paralysed.

Anonymous 2402211456665890: Malaysia made it again in the eyes of the world for the wrong reasons. As the brute who popularised the term, US President Donald Trump would say, “Sad!”

Cogito Ergo Sum: This is to suppress the news from being reported. I foresee it being used on election day as the results are being announced when BN starts losing its seats.

Will they black out news of a Pakatan Harapan victory and resort to reporting wins for BN where they have lost? It is all very scary. They have destroyed everything our forefathers fought for and built.

Pakcik Am: Is it fake news to say that a win by Harapan will definitely restore confidence levels all round of businesspeople and investors?

Sarawakian: Will former minister Rafidah Aziz be the first to be charged under this law over the 40,000ha of military land allegedly sold to the three-person company?

And will Malaysiakini be the first media outlet to go down for publishing her claims?


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These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.

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