3R Legal Framework Needs Overhaul To Tackle Complex Social Media Misuse – SekPur

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's legal framework on race, religion, and the royal institution (3R) requires dynamic improvements to tackle the growing complexity of social media misuse, said the People's Social Media Rapid Response Secretariat (SekPur).

Shahbudin Embon, head of its Political Bureau, said existing approaches need an overhaul to ensure a justice system that is both punitive and educational for society.

He noted that the provisions under the Sedition Act 1948, with its current maximum fine of RM5,000, are disproportionate to the damage that can be caused by viral social media posts.

"Steps to strengthen these laws, including considering mandatory imprisonment for serious cases involving the sovereignty of the royal institution, are necessary to reflect the importance of preserving national harmony," he said at a press conference here today.

Shahbudin suggested that the scope of legal protection be reviewed to also cover the nation's top leadership, including the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, to curb the culture of extreme provocation pursued solely for the sake of sensational digital content.

He also called for closer cooperation between the authorities and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in monitoring the activities of fake accounts, which often become a source of racial and religious tension.

"Taking lessons from the legal practices of Thailand and Indonesia, the stringency of their laws has proven to be an important instrument in preserving the dignity of their highest institutions," he said.

Under Malaysia’s existing legal provisions, a first-time offender convicted of sedition through speech or publication faces a maximum fine of RM5,000, up to three years' imprisonment, or both.

These provisions extend to actions on any platform, as part of ongoing efforts to curb seditious elements that threaten public order.

-- BERNAMA