Government Orders ISPs to Block Malaysia Today
It’s amazing,
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia or SKMM) was “only exercising its power” when it ordered the 19 Internet service providers (ISPs) in the country to block the Malaysia Today website.
“Everyone is subject to the law, even websites and blogs,” said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
“We do not intend to curtail people’s freedom or right to express themselves.
“But when they publish things that are libellous, slanderous or defamatory, it is natural for SKMM to act,” he said in Parliament lobby on Thursday.
Malaysia Today controversy gets hotter
and the rest of the articles…..
MCMC ‘exercising its power’ to tell ISPs to block RPK’s site
ISPs ordered to cut access to Malaysia Today website
Cyberspace crackdown begins
Aih……… where are we heading la?
Contradicting?
So we have now censorship when MCMC’s 10 Point of Guarantees state otherwise?
The Way I See
Personally, i would expect our citizens, the Internet users to already have a form of common sense and maturing to able to digest information and decide on their own what is true and what is false.
By applying censorship, it is as if MCMC is saying “hey, this is wrong. I’m telling you that it is wrong. You should accept it and stop visiting it. I’m gonna stop you from visiting it.”
Hey if we do that, we might as well put the many porn related domains on our blocklist. After all, there are plenty more unhealthy stuff over the Internet.
The consensus among the government officials was that if nothing was done to counter the gush of accusations and allegations against Barisan Nasional leaders, the ruling coalition will face the real prospect of losing the next general elections.
According to their reasoning, some 400,000 new voters are registered every year. With next general election scheduled for 2013, BN will face two million new voters the next time it seeks a mandate from the Malaysian public.
Flearly it’s about BN (the ruling party) and the fear of losing the next General Election.
I mean really, if all things are really clean – then those allegations and accusations will have no basis and in the end would just paint the opposition bad. If they are all well, such accusations wouldn’t even hurt them one bit.
In this case, it looks otherwise. it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that such desperate act is a last ditch attempt to cover-up. Their act itself implies that information leaked through these sites and blogs are holding truth! 
Publicity for Malaysia Today, Negative Publicity for BN
Malaysia Today’s visitors are a lot but with the MCMC’s decision on blocking it appearing on every other NEWSPAPER, blog, forum and probably soon – mainstream international Media – it’s FREE publicity for Malaysia Today!
So we’re looking at people who don’t know about it end up knowing it. Haha, what a joke. So now end up more people will know about the site, or at least have the curiosity to know what the site is about.
And people are not stupid, you block a political site – clearly you’re hiding something! All in all, it was a tactically stupid move.
Let’s not forget that with International media picking it up, it’s gonna hurt BN / governing party of Malaysia EVEN MORE.
Bad Timing?
Good plan, bad execution, ridiculous timing.
Just before the Permatang Pauh By-Election – we have sodomy charges against the opposition party.
Then just before the By-Election, we see a sudden drop in petrol prices. Ruling party attempting to win votes? I mean really, are we telling the world we’re so fickled minded?
After that, we see the opposition party won the By-Election.
2 days later, orders were released to block one of (if not, THE MOST) powerful Malaysian Political website……… an alternative media.
It doesn’t look good really. I hope my readers can share their thoughts.
By the way, here’s an alternative link for you to access Malaysia Today.
