Lim to talk to Dr M on Fake News Act

GEORGE TOWN: Finance Minister-designate Lim Guan Eng will clarify the abolition of the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“In his recent statement, he did not say anything about the Act’s abolition, but as far as we are concerned, Pakatan’s position remains the same and the Act has to be abolished,” Lim told a press conference yesterday.

“We cannot let the Government determine what is true and what is false, even if we are the Government now.

“The Act was designed to cover up the 1MDB scandal.

“It is against freedom of the press and speech. I’m confident that the Prime Minister feels the same but I will clarify the matter with him when I see him (today),” he told a press conference yesterday.

Dr Mahathir was reported as saying that the Act would be amended to give a “clear definition” of what constituted fake news so that the public and media practitioners would have a better understanding. The Act was passed in the last Parliament session and gazetted before the general election.

On another matter, Lim said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be abolished within 100 days and not on June 1.

Newsmaker: Lim speaking to the media about the GST ‘statement’ that was widely circulated on social media. — Bernama

“A media release about the abolition of GST on June 1, which went viral, is untrue as no one issued such a directive.

“I cannot issue the directive as I have yet to be sworn in. Only the Prime Minister can issue such a directive.

“I contacted his office and was told that no such statement had been issued,” he said.

Lim stressed that although yesterday’s “media release” is not true, Pakatan Harapan will proceed to abolish GST.

“We will abolish it but because we have yet to be sworn in, we do not have the authority to do so.

“However, we will do it in 100 days as promised in our manifesto,” he added.

He urged the public not to believe in fake news as there will be many such stories being spread during this period.

Lim also denied a tweet which claimed that Pakatan was planning to close down Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) as a cost-saving measure.

“This fake tweet appeared sometime last year and a police report has been lodged.”