Speaking to FMT during a fundraising dinner hosted by Petaling Jaya DAP, the veteran journalist and theatre enthusiast warned of increased repression of rights, especially the right to free expression.
“People had better be aware of that,” he said. “If BN gets its two thirds, that’s the end of Malaysia. It will bulldoze through anything it wants and the only reforms we’re going to see are reforms that will make the system work to BN’s benefit.”
He noted that the controversial legislation to combat fake news was tabled almost on the eve of GE14. That was an indication that BN would go to extreme lengths to keep its grip on power, he said.
He described the bill’s tabling as “nothing more than an attempt to shut people up” now that an election was near.
“Who is going to say what is fake and what isn’t? Only the government. If the Wall Street Journal publishes something about the Malaysian government today and news portals here carry it, the government can say it’s fake news because it’s not been verified.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Kee was at the dinner event to autograph his latest book, “You want this Goonvernment ah?”
The controversial bill was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Monday and by the Dewan Negara yesterday. It now awaits only royal assent before becoming law.
The legislation provides for a fine of up to RM500,000 or a jail term of up to six years or both for the crime of creating, offering, publishing, distributing, circulating or disseminating fake news.
The bill originally proposed a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, but the government decided to reduce it following a storm of criticism.