The government will re-table a bill to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act in the next Parliamentary session, says Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the one-year cooling period following the rejection of the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 by the upper house, as provided by Article 68 of the Federal Constitution, was now over.
“It is just a requirement under the Constitution where a bill that has been rejected by the Senate will have to be re-tabled in the lower house.
“It will go through the same process again, like a new bill being introduced.
“It will have to be debated again,” he told reporters at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of Suhakam.
However, Liew said that this time the bill would sail through when brought to the Senate, even if rejected.
As for the Sedition Act, Liew said Cabinet had decided to abolish it, but there were certain provisions that needed to be taken out and placed in the penal code.
“That is still a work in progress under the Home Ministry. They are looking into it.
“I hope it can be done this coming session. If not by next year,” he said.
He explained that provisions were in connection with the royal institution as they did not want the public to make defamatory remarks against the royalty.
Liew also said amendments to the Suhakam Act to give the commission more powers were in the pipeline.
He said this was to ensure that Suhakam could carry out its mandate with increased
effectiveness towards the protection of human rights in the country.
“This is to enlarge the executive power of Suhakam to ensure that they are be able to deal with the various issues in complaints, to give them more power, ” he said.
This would include placing the Commission under the purview of Parliament.
Liew said this could perhaps be realised by next year.
Suhakam was established by Parliament under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999, with a mandate to protect, promote and monitor human rights in Malaysia. – The Star