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The
emergency ordinance, which took effect on Friday, will make it
an offence to publish or reproduce any "wholly or partly false"
content related to the pandemic or the emergency declaration,
prescribing hefty fines and jail terms of up to six years.
Emergency laws do not need parliamentary approval.
Communications Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said the ordinance
would help expedite enforcement, investigation and prosecution
by authorities, who would otherwise be hampered by old laws that
are ill equipped to deal with the rapid expansion of social
media.
"Our interest is in fighting COVID-19 and we will do whatever it
takes ... we take cognisance of the fact that we have to be
fair, we have to be just in carrying out our duties," Saifuddin
told a news conference.
But opposition lawmakers and civil society groups said the new
law was too sweeping and could be used to instill fear among the
public about criticising the government.
Earlier on Friday, the prime minister's department on Twitter
posted a government circular prohibiting civil servants from
making negative public statements, or sharing or distributing
any content deemed detrimental to government policies or its
image.
In January, parliament was suspended after King Al-Sultan
Abdullah declared a state of emergency to curb the spread of
COVID-19, a move that the opposition decried as an attempt by
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to retain control amid a power
struggle.
Malaysia has reported 320,939 COVID-19 infections as of Friday,
with 1,203 deaths, the third highest caseload in the region
behind Indonesia and the Philippines.
(Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Martin Petty)
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