The conviction of online news outlet Malaysiakini on contempt of court charges threatens press freedom, despite the simultaneous acquittal of editor-in-chief Steven Gan, said ARTICLE 19. The excessive fine imposed on Malaysiakini will have a chilling effect on independent journalism and online...
According to news reports, the repeal bill was voted down because opposition senators felt that the law addressed a pressing need and should be reformed rather than repealed, with one senator stating, “fake news is a threat to our political landscape”. From Article 19.
On March 26, 2018, the government of Malaysia proposed a new law that would criminalize the spreading of misinformation ahead of the country’s elections in August 2018, understood as "any new, information, data and reports, which is or are wholly or partly false."
Read more at I&J Retrospect.