PETALING JAYA: A specific law dedicated to addressing hate speech is needed to overcome the growing menace of provocative comments, said professor Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy, who heads the research team on crime and policing at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Although he supported freedom of speech, he believes there should be certain restrictions to curb untruths from being spoken and causing harm to the country.
“There cannot be absolute freedom of speech,” he said yesterday in response to theSun’s front page story on calls for laws on hate speech.
“Even developed countries agree that such liberties can be destructive. Although we have existing laws, they are not specific enough.
“It is time for a new law to be enacted. It must emphasise and define the specifics of hate speech. This law must also differentiate between hate and constructive criticism. A specific law can also serve as a deterrent to those who intend to post hate speeches.”
Although Sundramoorthy believes the majority of the masses were mature enough not to be driven or influenced by hate messages, there are concerns a small fraction of rumour-mongers and rabble-rousers would use their influence to stir up trouble.
“Most of us will have some feeling of being prejudiced at some time or another, perhaps some acts perceived as discriminatory,” he said.
“In the past, any hateful thoughts and feelings were confined to oneself or circle of friends or family. Nowadays, social media has opened up the whole world to everyone and all sorts of news are disseminated.
“Hate speech mongers who post hurtful and racist comments are garnering followers. This is where the danger starts. The good people become influenced by the ones with ulterior motives. Hence, social media must be monitored for hate speech and acted upon quickly.”