KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has assured the Online Safety Bill will not restrict freedom of expression.
She refuted claims by some parties that the bill expected to be tabled in Parliament in October would nullify democracy by empowering the government to take down any information from social media platforms.
“How much (information) can the government remove? Remove on (platform) A, appear on (platform) B, C and others. So how do you control 30 million users? The government cannot delete (information), it is impossible ,“ she said.
She was speaking at a press conference after the launching of the International Legal Conference on Online Harms 2024 by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, here today.
However, Azalina said there should be a balance in the right to speak including not committing any offence that is subject to national law.
“But if you express yourself and your expression is causing harm, like slander or libel, there are many laws that would take you on that road. I cannot stop you from talking but you must be responsible for what you said,“ she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina said the new law was enacted to educate the public about self-regulation, including steps to be taken when dealing with online security issues whether on social media platforms or other online applications.
“We want to build an act where users have a ‘kill switch’... So now the control comes from you, how do you regulate or use the (social media) platform. This new law is not about regulating, it is about your duty, what’s expected of you.
“The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is a regulator. They regulate system providers, they cannot be regulating people’s behaviour. That is why we have to come out with this new law on online safety,“ she said.
According to Azalina, the conference which was also attended by the Spanish Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Luis Pardo was the second phase in the drafting of the bill to get the views of experts from foreign countries which have enforced laws related to online safety.
As the new law is quite technical, she said the third phase involved discussions with stakeholders including the public before being brought to the Cabinet for approval and presented in Parliament.
Azalina said that although she will present the bill, its implementation and enforcement is under the Ministry of Communications through the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
