A voice vote was taken and there were more voices supporting the motion to repeal the legislation on the last day of proceedings. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof presided over the proceedings.

Earlier, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Hanipa Maidin delivered his winding-up speech, saying that the act was not needed as existing laws were sufficient to curb the spread of fake news.

Aside from the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, Hanipa (PH-Sepang) said civil laws could also be used to battle fake news.

“If the laws have weaknesses, we should be amending those laws, not enacting new ones,” he said.

In responding to claims by Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) that no political persecution had taken place when the act was in force, Hanipa agreed this was the case but said the Act had only been in place for a few months.

“If we had waited a bit longer, I am sure many would have been subjected to persecution under the law. Don’t draw conclusions too quickly.

“Yes, there may not have been any political persecution, but there was a political investigation.

“Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was probed under the Anti-Fake News Act over his claim that someone had tried to sabotage his plane (to prevent him from going to Langkawi a day before nomination day),” he said.

Hanipa also disagreed with Azalina’s viewpoint that the law was enacted to protect the people, stating it was created to protect Barisan Nasional’s interests.

The Anti-Fake News Act was gazetted in April under the Barisan Nasional government.

Under the act, anyone found guilty of producing or disseminating fake news can be fined up to RM500,000, handed a maximum six-year imprisonment or both upon conviction.

Opposition lawmakers and civil society groups had opposed the act, which was bulldozed through just before the May 9 polls, saying it could be abused to muffle dissent.