KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr James Masing said publishing fake news is equal to lying.
Commenting on the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018 to be passed, Masing said the Freedom of Speech does not mean freedom to lie or freedom to slander our neighbours at will.
“The question we should ask is who decides whether news are fake or not. It’s the court, not the government of the day’” he said.
Masing, who is also the Transport Minister and President of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), believes that there is always a limit to all things.
Due to modern technology, he stressed, news can spread fast easily through the social media.
Thus, he pointed out, it is important that there is some degree of control to ensure that news send out are not fake or at the expense of tarnishing a person’s reputation.
