KUALA LUMPUR: Laws against hate speech can foster a more inclusive and tolerant society by discouraging discriminatory language and actions, said Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Unity Advisory Council member said such laws can provide legal recourse for marginalised communities, helping to protect them from verbal abuse and incitement to violence.
“By addressing hate speech, the government may reduce the potential for hate crimes, thereby promoting public safety and social harmony,” he said in a statement today.
Lee was responding to the findings of a social study conducted under the National Unity Ministry, which suggested the need for policies and laws to regulate the spread of hateful statements.
The findings, reported on Oct 11, also recommended the introduction of public education and awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of hate speech.
However, regarding the proposal to implement special education programmes for media practitioners, including journalists and media managers, Lee suggested that other professionals should also be involved.
He explained that addressing hate speech at its source requires collaboration, and educating professionals from diverse fields together would ensure that multiple perspectives are considered when tackling national issues.
This, he said, must include politicians, as they often have significant influence in society.
“If they (politicians) are equipped with a better understanding of hate speech and its implications, they can set positive examples for the public,” he added.
On the role of journalists, Lee remarked that the media primarily reports on speeches made by others, adding that “journalists in the mainstream media have been rather responsible”.
He noted that newspapers across all language mediums have exercised self-censorship in the past when encountering hate speech.
“But nowadays, when hate speeches appear in some social media, the perpetrators were not professionally trained journalists, but others,” he added.
