Fake News Act will be repealed

KUALA LUMPUR: The Fake News Act will be repealed, which was gazetted in April, will be abolished, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

He said the proposal to abolish the act would be brought to the Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, to enable the act to be abolished immediately.

"I have a list that we have to look into and I will have a press conference tomorrow to inform us specifically." As stated in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto, we will abolish this act.

"We will set a time frame, the first 100 days we have to fulfill but how much time will I need to discuss with my officer tomorrow, and I will do it and start working exactly 8.30am tomorrow," he said.

He said this when met after his oath of office and loyalty and secret oath of secrecy with 12 other Cabinet Ministers in the presence of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, at Istana Negara, today.

As a new minister in the ministry, Gobind, 45, said media freedom was his main agenda and he was committed in that regard.

However, he said the matter should be made based on existing laws.

"Freedom of the media is my priority. Media makes news and publishing companies tied to existing laws, so we need to look in that sense.

"We have to find ways to increase the freedom of the press in the country. I will create a group of legislators so they can see the impact of the law, where there are weaknesses and we will try to improve," he said.

Among other things to be reviewed are several laws relating to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), involving complaints and investigations into several reported cases.

Additionally, the Puchong MP said he would also give serious attention to the overall aspect of news reporting and to find ways to local television system to compete with international media channels.

He said local media should learn from the international media to be more knowledgeable in delivering news.

Gobind, who is also the Deputy Chairman of DAP, holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Warwick Britain and Law Department from Lincoln's Inn.

He was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 1996 and continued his father's legacy, former DAP veteran leader, late Karpal Singh.

Gobind's involvement in politics began 10 years ago as a Member of the DAP Central Executive Committee to date and has been the deputy chairman of the Selangor DAP Committee from 2015 until last year.