Malaysia looks to punish fake news with 10 years in jail

Malaysia's government has proposed new legislation to outlaw fake news and punish offenders with a 10-year jail sentence - a move slammed by critics as a bid to crack down on dissent ahead of a general election.

Prime minister Najib Razak has been dogged by a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal involving an indebted state fund, and rights activists fear the new law could be used to criminalise news reports and critical opinions on government misconduct.