What is ACT114A?
It is an amendment to The Evidence Act 1950. The amendment was passed by Dewan Negara on 9 May 2012. It is passed in haste and gazetted on 31 July 2012. It enable law enforcement officials to swiftly hold someone accountable for publishing seditious, defamatory, or libelous content online. No one knows how the law works and how will it be applied exactly.
How does ACT114A affect you?
It restraints my expression of feelings and thoughts freely online. What I want to say on the internet has to be 'filtered'.So that, no one, organizations or authorities would see my feelings and thoughts as defamation and seditious. It is a very disturbing situation for the internet users, especially bloggers. Bloggers can't write freely about the opinions/truth, the truth that might hurt the country's reputation or certain political party.
Does it really matter?
It does matter to every internet user in the country. Every internet user fear that they might be charged under ACT114A for the misdeed they never done online before. Every words, messages written are recorded in the cyberspace. It will be very hard for someone to prove themselves innocent from the act. Every owner of the mobile phone, laptop, and internet will be accountable for any seditious posts sent from their devices and internet.
Because of it newly passed law, people still doesn't aware of its function. Does the law applied to the comments, blogs and etc. that posted before the date of the law gazetted?
That is quite a big question for everyone.
Because of it newly passed law, people still doesn't aware of its function. Does the law applied to the comments, blogs and etc. that posted before the date of the law gazetted?
That is quite a big question for everyone.
Should you be concerned?
Yes. Because I'll lose my freedom of speech online. Every comment, every status i wrote through my mobile phone, laptops and internet will be used by the ACT114A against myself, if someone report it to the police. Under this Act, I will be considered guilty until proven innocent.
I'm strongly agree with you, as a blogger we have the right to blog anything. How can we live under the ACT114A, every post will bring us to the courtcase.
ReplyDeleteWell, bloggers have the rights to blog about anything that has to be considerate and based on the truth, not lies.
Deletethat is why, we have to urge the government to reconsider the new law or revoke it before it is too late and before it become a weapon to against people's voice in the cyberworld.
if someone want to trap you, they will report your comment to the police.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the sentence that you wrote, 'It will be very hard for someone to prove themselves innocent from the act. ' The law officer can ask you a question that how could you give a password of a secured Wifi network or a personal device to a stranger if you explain that a hacker hacked your network or the person just a customer of my cafe with Wifi unless you can show a evidence to let law officer know that you and the person don't have any relationship. I think it will waste many money and time.
ReplyDeletethanks for agree with me... it is very troublesome for the people. Moreover, they will be considered guilty if they can't prove themselves to the law officers.
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