PARLIAMENT | Opposition politicians are worried that the government will use the Anti-Fake News Act and other controversial laws against them, admitted Malaysian Senators Council president Khairudin Abd Samad.

"My friends in the opposition whispered to me that the law we drafted was to purportedly to stifle and arrest those who were then in the opposition because they made slanderous allegations and spread fake news.

"Now that we have become the opposition, we are subject to arrest. Can you imagine?" the BN senator quipped, drawing laughter at the Dewan Negara during the debate of the Anti-Fake News (Repeal) Bill 2018.

"So, our friends in the opposition are scared and upset because they are now the ones who are potentially going to be seen as circulating fake news. They passed these laws and it can backfire on them," he said.

Beside the Anti-Fake News Act, he noted the opposition politicians also found the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 troublesome.

"They asked me to debate the issue," he said.

Khairuddin said he was made to understand that the previous government had an issue with some of the foreign news outlets, which included CNN, Sky News and Al Jazeera.

He said the message was conveyed during a briefing held by the government when it sought to pass the Anti-Fake News Act earlier this year.

BN senators who debated the repeal of the Anti-Fake News Bill earlier, concurred on the political motive behind the bill, but stressed the bills could be improved for the sake of the rakyat who may be deceived by fake news.

Earlier today, the Dewan Negara had passed the Supply Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure Bill 2018, which will see the government reallocate the budget following the restructuring of cabinet.