Govt Warns Of Tough Action Against Bloggers Who Disparage

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- The government today warned of tough action against web bloggers who write on sensitive issues which include insulting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the government would not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 121b of the Penal Code against these bloggers.
He said the government had exercised restraint in the matter for a long time and the time had come for it to act according to those laws.
"I want to issue a warning that the time has come for us to take action against them (bloggers who make disparaging statements). We have the right and we will do it. We have been very patient," he said when winding up debate on the Electronic Government Activities Bill 2007 in the Dewan Negara here. The bill was passed.
Yesterday, Umno lodged a report at the Dang Wangi Police Station against the web portal "Malaysia Today" for publishing sensitive comments on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam, and of a racial nature.
Umno Information Chief Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who had made the police report, had said that the public comments carried on the portal on July 11 violated the law and insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"Such publication is deemed as likely to spark crime and incite racial and religious violence," he had said.
Muhammad, also raised the matter in the Dewan Negara today during the debate on the Electronic Government Activities Bill.
Urging the government to act against the portal, he said the contents could undermine unity as well as corrupt young minds.
"The liberal writing on the portal can cause young minds to think that there are no rules and sensitivities governing articles and that anyone can write on any matter in the name of individual freedom," he said.
"At a time when the government is introducing the system of electronic government, there are unhealthy developments in the form of publications on the web such as this, articles which can be read not only by our society but also the whole world and anyone for that matter, even children," he added.
Muhamad said there was no absolute freedom in any country and that Malaysia had its own ways to regulate the freedom, which was founded on the practice of tolerance and mutual respect among the races that had been going on for a long time.
Senator Datuk Norraesah Mohamed intervened to get Muhamad's explanation on his view that the issues raised in "Malaysia Today" went beyond criticism to attacks specifically to incite hatred among the people.
She also called for tough action, saying what had happened would not only ruin the ruling party but also touched on the integrity and stability of the country.
Nazri also hit out at the blogger for criticising Muhamad for his having lodged the police report, and described him as a blogger who was childish.
He said his officers would consider the appropriate law so that the blogger involved could be penalised as per the misconduct.
He also said that the government planned to draft an act to enable it to monitor and act against bloggers who committed offences.
"This is not aimed at eliminating the freedom of speech but to wipe out the freedom to cheat, defame and hurt people so that blogs can really be a source of correct information and sincere views and not a platform to hurl abuses at people," he said.
When replying to a question raised by Senator Ismail Kassim, Nazri said he did not rule out the possibility that full-time bloggers were sponsored by certain quarters.
The Dewan Negara also approved the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2007, Islamic Banking (Amendment) Bill 2007, Takaful (Amendment) Bill 2007 and Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Bill 2007.

tunku : there are few full time bloggers and for sure the are sponsored otherwise how they want to feed their family.even the ruling party hires full time bloggers.There are also part time bloggers who blogs because they want to express their own views.there are many type of bloggers. in dewan negara yesterday it was said that there are good bloggers and bad bloggers. i hope the government can define it clearly, what are the meaning of good and bad bloggers. is it that the good one's are the one who always praise them and the bad one's always condemn them(some with facts and evidence). mat taib said that the bloggers could corrupt the young minds, i agree some will be corrupted because they don't have the brain, but most of the readers have brain that can think which is true or false news/stories.the mainstream media too can corrupt the young mind with their propaganda.mainstream medias are only government communication tools and only good things about them. as for me those bloggers who instill racial /religious hatred should be punish,no doubt.but do not punish the bloggers which don't agree with the government.that is not a right thing to do.mat taib and the gang are desperate as election are coming soon and the internet had been well receive by many voters who will decide who they'll be voting for.so now there will be bloggers hunting all the way.by the way mat taib, malaysiakini too carry stories that can disrupt the unity in this country(the murtad stories), why no police report against them?a person(mat taib) who is convicted in the court and found guilty,carrying million or dollars in his briefcase does not fit to be a politician.