Ok. I wasn't born yesterday.
The announcement that there will be a government task force "to study the need to regulate internet sites with pornographic and seditious content" has got me thinking that some people are really spooked and have got the entire government machinery to clamp down on blogs.
The New Straits Times, quoting sources, said that the websites to be monitored are those which contain pornographic material and those, including blogs, which carry seditious material.
These include blogs which post inflammatory content against other races or religions and not just blogs on politics or those which criticise the government.
It is a case of "killing two birds with one stone". I get the sneaking suspicion that, mainly, it is an excuse to get at those pesky irritating socio-political blogs that have been critical of the government.
Click here for the story.
Rocky has his take here.
Well, I'm always concerned when there are threats to invoke the Sedition Act on citizens.
Kak,
ReplyDeleteLike I said at rocky's blog, Hopefully sooner or later they will recognize Bloggers not as a treat but helping in the development of the country.
Any way we are always late.
I figured it would go this way. History repeating itself, this time in a different form but the big idea is the same. The guy with the big stick going around the village looking for those who dare to speak against the guy who lives in the castle. In the 30s, 40s, 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s and now. It's the same thing. They'll figure something out, skirt around the law, or create new ones to suit the cyber age.
ReplyDeleteNuraina, I see that "Tuesdays with Bapak" is already in a book form. When are you going to publish it as a paper-book?
ReplyDeleteI don't think the threat of the seditious act should spook bloggers. The task force is probably just something to occupy shahziman or foo ah kiow and give some civil servants more to do to justify heir recent pay rise.
ReplyDeleteNuraina,
ReplyDeleteAwat depa takut sangat nie .. 20000 orang aje baca blog kaki hasut tu!
Atau 2 juta kot, Zam silap gak nye.
if ony they spend more time to catch those criminals out there.
ReplyDeleteLets see. There's a major escalation of violent crime in the country, the KL city centre became a giant swimming pool last weekend.
ReplyDeleteYet the cabinet's priority, which they spent hours discussing, is forming a senior government task force to clamp down on bloggers.
Pak Lah, please, your honeymoon is OVER
rajahram:
ReplyDeletehi,rajahram. no, sir. it is not yet in a book form yet.
i know the heading on the left of my blog seems to suggest that. sorry, about that. misleading,i know. that's just a compilation with a dash of graphics.
I feel the same too. Concern is what we shud all feel. But it is the tendency of powers that be to crush anything remotely powerful that they dun understand.
ReplyDeletebeen happening for ages my dear...but that doesn't make it right. *sigh*
Good post.
ReplyDelete