The Dewan Rakyat had approved a motion to repeal the Act last year but it was rejected by the Dewan Negara.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said
no one had been investigated or charged under the Act.

“However, that doesn’t mean the government will tolerate the spread of fake news (including news) that insults the Prophet, other religions or the Malay rulers,” he said.

Hanipa was replying to Ismail Abd Muttalib (BN-Maran) who wanted to know the number of Malaysians charged under the Act with insulting the Malay rulers, or with using words that touched on religious and racial sensitivity.

He said there were other laws to deal with such cases, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

He gave the recent sentencing of an individual in Sarawak as an example.

The Facebook user was jailed to 10 years and 10 months by the Kuching Sessions Court after admitting that he had insulted Islam and Prophet Muhammad.