KUALA LUMPUR: The government will make another effort to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act by retabling a bill that was quashed in the Barisan Nasional-controlled Dewan Negara on Sept 12 last year.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong (pix) said the bill would sail through when brought to the Senate regardless of how the senators vote.
"This Anti-Fake News requires a one-year cooling period (after) it was rejected by the lower house last year.
“And this will be retabled in the coming Parliament session to abolish the Act for good,” he said at Suhakam’s 20th anniversary forum today.
Should the new bill be passed in the Dewan Rakyat, Liew said it would automatically be passed by the Dewan Negara.
Under the current law, retabled bills shall be presented to the Yang-di Pertuan Agong for assent even if they are rejected for a second time by the Dewan Negara.
A bill to abolish the mandatory death penalty will also be tabled at the next parliamentary meeting from Oct 7 to Dec 5.
“In line with promise No. 27 in Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto, our office is currently working on the bill to abolish the mandatory death penalty,” he said.
A special task force headed by a former chief justice and assisted by members has been established to study alternative sentencing, Liew added.
“The task force will consider, among others, the seriousness of the crime, implications and welfare of the victims as well as restorative justice.”
