Senate rejects Anti-fake News (abolition) Bill 2018

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- The Dewan Negara sitting today rejected the Anti-Fake News (Abolition) Bill 2018.

This was announced by Senate President Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran, after the block voting saw 28 members of the Senate not supporting as while 21 supported and three others abstained.

The motion for block voting was presented by Senator Khairul Azwan Harun as soon as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin concluded the winding up of the Bill for second reading.

In line with Regulation 45 (4), Vigneswaran later ordered for the bell to be sounded for two minutes to enable the block voting process to be carried out.

The Bill aimed to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Aug 16, 2018 after the third reading.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hanipa when met by reporters at the Parliament lobby described the action of Senators who rejected the abolition of the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 at the sitting today as a move to shame the Pakatan Harapan government.

"Actually I think they just want to delay to embarrass Pakatan Harapan but it's okay, it's alright. No problem. I'm not angry, I'm happy.

"...For us this is not an urgent matter but of course we want to expedite. They want to delay, it is up to them. I just want to send the message to Barisan Nasional Senator, people are watching," he told reporters here today.

Mohamed Hanipa, when asked on the action that needed to be taken after the motion was rejected, said it would be presented again to the Dewan Rakyat at the next sitting.

 -- BERNAMA