The Emergency (Essential Powers) (No 2) Ordinance 2021, which came into effect yesterday, is not to curb media freedom and prevent any parties from criticising the government, stressed Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

Instead, he said, it was implemented to tackle fake news on Covid-19 and the proclamation of emergency.

"There are many criticisms toward this ordinance and I want to explain, those accusing the government of restricting press freedom, actually it isn’t at all because the ordinance refers to fake news regarding two issues only, namely Covid-19 and the emergency...