KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday that an anti-fake news law brought by the previous administration will be given “proper” definition, making it clear to the media and the public what is fake. “Even though we support freedom of press and freedom of speech, there are limits,” Mahathir said in a live telecast on state TV.

Abolishing the anti-fake news law was one of the Mahathir’s campaign promises, but his latest comments point to a re-defining of the controversial law, rather than removing it altogether. “The fake news law will be given a new definition so that the public and media outlets will know what is fake news and what is not fake,” Mahathir said.

Former prime minister Najib Razak’s government approved the Anti-Fake News 2018 bill last month, which set out fines of up to 500,000 ringgit ($126,646.40) and a maximum six years in jail for violators.

Mahathir was himself accused of fake news, after authorities said they were investigating him for false claims that his plane was sabotaged ahead of the May 9 election.

Mahathir has been prime minister previously, for 22 years starting in 1981. He used security laws to put his political opponents behind bars and his critics say he restricted free speech and persecuted political opponents.

The current law defines fake news as “news, information, data and reports which is or are wholly or partly false” and includes features, visuals and audio recordings.

It covers digital publications and social media and will apply to offenders who maliciously spread “fake news” inside and outside Malaysia, including foreigners, if Malaysia or a Malaysian citizen were affected.

Other countries in Sout­heast Asia, including Singa­pore and the Philippines, are considering how to tackle “fake news” but human rights activists fear that such laws could be used to stifle free speech.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2018