KUALA LUMPUR: The government would be protesting on the streets if they were still in the Opposition, says a PAS lawmaker regarding several proposed amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Bill.
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) said Malaysia will indirectly become a modern dictatorship if one section of the proposed amendments, which allows the Minister to declare any media organisation invalid without providing any reason, is passed.
“What is the guarantee that this will not be misused? If you were part of the Opposition today, you’d be rolling all the way from Dataran Merdeka to Parliament,” he said during debates in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Dec 9).
He also urged MPs to think thoroughly about this Section, adding that it may come back to bite them in the future.
“We at Perikatan have no issue with this. When we become the government, this is the law that you will regret passing,” he said.
On Dec 2, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil tabled the Communications and Multimedia (Amendments) Bill 2024 and the Communications and Multimedia Commission (Amendments) Bill 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat for their first reading.
The Bills propose amendments to 118 existing sections and the creation of 15 new ones to combat better the growing threat of online criminal activities, including sexual offences and the spread of false information.
The amendments are expected to be passed by the Dewan Rakyat before it adjourns on Dec 12.
