Zaid on 'fake news' ordinance: Why treat rakyat like enemies?

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Zaid on 'fake news' ordinance: Why treat rakyat like enemies?


Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim questioned why the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government appears to be treating the rakyat as its enemies by gazetting an ordinance aimed at combating “fake news” on Covid-19.

“I don’t even know if I want to talk to the press anymore. I don’t even know whether I want to tweet anymore because what is the line between getting something wrong by accident or deliberately spreading fake news?

“You can punish, but not to the extent that is already enacted. I think it is too harsh.

“We have this emergency to deal with Covid-19. That is what the government says. So, if Covid-19 is the enemy, why react in a way as if the people are the enemy?” Zaid said in an interview with Malaysiakini at his house in Petaling Jaya today.

It was reported yesterday evening that the federal government had gazetted an ordinance supposedly to combat “fake news” relating to Covid-19 and the emergency proclamation.

In reality, it gives the government sweeping powers, with grave implications for press freedom.

Among others, the ordinance, which takes effect today, March 12, states that perpetrators who spread “fake news” in writing, videos, audio recordings or in any other forms that may convey “words or ideas”, will face action.

The ordinance also grants the courts powers to order the removal of a publication if it is determined to be “fake news”, failing which the court may order the police or an authorised officer to do so.

Even Google, Facebook have difficulty determining fake news

Zaid said that even giant tech companies like Google and Facebook have difficulty determining what is fake news on their platforms, let alone normal Malaysians.

Thus, he said, an opportunity must be given to the perpetrator to retract the statement, should it be determined to be false.

“It should not be an offence if there was no intentional falsehood that undermines public interest,” he added.

Besides, Zaid said, there are better and less punitive ways of dealing with this problem of “fake news”.

“You can do a fact check, teach literacy to the people about what to read and what to believe. You need knowledge about this, so we must spend money on educating the people.

“This is what a caring government would do, rather than see them (the rakyat) as enemies.

“Let’s get the people together. But it doesn’t look like that to me,” Zaid said.