This from Reporters Sans Frontiers. When, oh when, will the Malaysian Ministers ever learn to come out of denial and stop blaming the bloggers for their own inadequacies?
The bloggers in Malaysia, such as Screenshots and Rockybru, are so powerful now because the Government muzzles the press. Now that technology makes it possible for one man with a little knowledge of the internet to publish, there is no way you can control the bloggers.
The government should, instead, conduct a reality check and begin to embrace rather than oppose technology. That is, if they get their house in order first.
Government signals crackdown on bloggers
Reporters Without Borders voiced alarm that Malaysia could introduce repressive legislation on the Internet after Science and Technology Minister, Kong Cho Ha, said the government planned new rules to block its malicious use and prevent bloggers posting news jeopardising social harmony.
“The government of Abdullah Badawi seems to want to impose on the Internet the same strict controls that it already applies to the press,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “Malaysian bloggers currently enjoy an outspokenness denied to journalists in the traditional media. It is vital for the country’s democratic life that the Internet is not pushed into self-censorship. “
The minister made his statement at an event on 3 December 2006 organised by the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry, Malaysia (Pikom) in which he made clear his determination to regulate news put out by bloggers.
“We are talking about creating cyber laws to control those who misuse the Internet,” he said. “We need to have stricter cyber laws to prevent these bloggers from disseminating disharmony, chaos, seditious material and lies. We want our bloggers to be responsible.” His statements were all the more surprising given that Internet regulation usually comes under the Energy, Water and Communications ministry.
The government is also planning to get bloggers to register with the information ministry. Even though Kong Cho Ha admitted that the system would be difficult to apply, it could nevertheless push Malaysian bloggers daring to criticise the government to stop publishing or self-censor.
The government frequently says that it does not impose any censorship on electronic media. However, in practice, harassment has been stepped up against the only independent online daily www.malaysiakini.com.my, and there has been an increase in threatening statements aimed at pushing its managers into self-censorship.
Hello Unspun,
It’s damn worrying, isn’t it? We have junior ministers in our country going around threatening to muzzle not the government-owned Press but the bloggers! Of course these junior ministers have the blessings of their seniors, to test the waters, so to speak. The deputy Information Minister was also asked to make statements with regards to bloggers’ethics before the Minister himself decided to do the “follow-up” statements.
In Malaysia, I believe we need to convince the bloggers to really unite. They are now gathered under no umbrella, no association, no body. It will be easy to rein them in because they are not united. What the bloggers need is to form an organisation that can safeguard their interests and, at the same time, promote greater accountability so as to be taken sseriously.
It will happen soon, I am sure. But i will sleep easier if it happens sooner. Because the Malaysian government does seem to be able to do the unthinkable when it comes to protecting itself against the truth.
Tangjungcina: I share your enthusiasm but I think getting bloggers to form a association is not a good idea. It only gives the government a larget and more static target.
Paradoxically, it is the government’s obtuseness that is fuelling people’s enthusiasm for bloogs. If the newspapers in Malaysia were free and of high quality, blogs would not be that important. As it is, Malaysians do not trust the newspapers and mainstream media because it is controlled tightly by the government.
So people are driven to blogs. The government should realize that the days of trying to supress and control information are over in a Flat World. They need to embrace the technology and be skilled in communicating and doing the right things – otherwise they are fighthing a losing battle. But try telling that to the Ministers and their deputies – they have such large egos and little capability that denial is the only form of survival mechanism open to them.