KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has assured the online safety bill will not restrict freedom of expression.
She refuted claims by some parties that the bill, expected to be tabled in Parliament in October, would nullify democracy by empowering the government to remove information from social media platforms.
“How much (information) can the government remove? Remove on (platform) A, appear on (platform) B, C and others. How do you control 30 million users? The government cannot delete (information), it is impossible ,” she said.
She was speaking at a press conference after the launch of the International Legal Conference on Online Harms 2024 by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi here today.
Azalina said any freedom of speech should be balanced and not go against the law.
“If you express yourself and your expression is causing harm, like slander or libel, there are many laws that would take you down that road. I cannot stop you from talking, but you must be responsible for what you say,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azalina said the new law was enacted to educate the public about self-regulation, including steps to deal with online security issues whether on social media platforms or other online apps.
“We want to build an act where users have a ‘kill switch’, so now the control comes from you, how you regulate or use the (social media) platform. This new law is not about regulating; it is about your duty, what’s expected of you.
“The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is a regulator. It regulates system providers, it cannot be regulating people’s behaviour. That is why we have to come out with this new law on online safety,” she said.
According to Azalina, the conference, which was also attended by Spain’s Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Luis Pardo, was the second phase of drafting the bill — to get the views of experts from foreign countries that have enforced laws on online safety.
As the new law is quite technical, she said the third phase involves discussions with stakeholders, including the public, before it is brought to the Cabinet for approval and presented in Parliament.
Azalina said although she will present the bill, its implementation and enforcement is under the Communications Ministry through the MCMC.
— Bernama
