Malaysian opposition leader investigated under fake news law

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian opposition leader is being investigated for alleged defamatory remarks about the Election Commission and police, state news agency Bernama reported on Saturday.

Rafizi Ramli is the second opposition leader to be investigated under a law passed in April that criminalises “fake news”.

On Wednesday, police said they were investigating Mahathir Mohamad, the opposition’s prime minister candidate, over claims his plane was sabotaged in the run up to next week’s election. The May 9 election pits Prime Minister Najib Razak against 92-year-old former premier Mahathir.

Rafizi is under investigation over his remarks on social media about the filing of nomination papers for the election at a district in Negeri Sembilan state, Bernama reported, citing the state’s police chief Noor Azam Jamaludin.