KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — The Communications and Digital Ministry welcomes all suggestions from MPs from both divides on how to improve Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Teo Nie Ching said however current studies conducted on Section 233 was to look at how ensure investigations can be conducted with ease.

"We have efforts to study Section 233, but it is more on the aspect of how we can ease investigations and how the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission can be improved.

"I welcome all MPs’ suggestions on how to improve Section 233, as Section 233 existence is still needed but how can we ensure that is will not be abused,” Teo told the Parliament during Minister’s Question Time today.

Teo was responding to DAP’s Bangi MP Shahredzan Johan who asked if the government has plans to amend Section 233, claiming that it has been used for politically driven purposes so silence criticisms against politicians.

"Section 233 is a problematic Section. I myself as a lawyer, many times, I have represented civilians who have been arrested, investigated, charged and later convicted due to criticising politicians.

"Does the ministry have plans to amend Section 233, so that it cannot be abused for politically driven purposes,” Shahredzan asked.

The human rights lawyer had previously urged the government to amend the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to safeguard the people’s freedom of expression.

He had pointed out Section 233 of the Act, in particular, that it was so wide it can and has been abused by those in power.

Section 233 criminalises online content that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person.

If convicted, the offender could be fined of not more than RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both.

An offender can also be fined for another RM1,000 for every day that the offence is continued after conviction.