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Malay Mail
New ‘signs’ of curbs, but MCMC says just helping users ‘self-regulate’
By Boo Su-Lyn
July 21, 2013
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PETALING JAYA, July 21 — Several netizens have complained of new “signs” of censorship after running into an official-looking notification barring access to certain sites, but regulators insist such moves go back more than a decade.
According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), censoring online porn was an old practice, as “indecent” and “obscene” content is prohibited under Section 211 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
It further maintains that the blocks do not represent censorship per se, but act to inform Internet users of possible violations
“The Notification Page is a new addition to assist Malaysian users to practise self-regulation and also to be aware of the types of the content that they are accessing,” MCMC corporate communications head Sheikh Ahmad Raffie Sheikh Abd Rahman told The Malay Mail Online yesterday.
He also added that the barriers were put in place by the providers and not the MCMC.
“The blocking of the websites is done by the Internet Service Providers licensed by SKMM and is applicable to all users accessing the Internet through the ISPs Domain Name Server (DNS),” he added, referring to MCMC by its Malay initials.
For more, go to the Malay Mail article
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/new-signs-of-curbs-but-mcmc-says-just-helping-users-self-regulate
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Mention of Malaysia has been made in the following TIME article:
Internet Censorship Is Taking Root in Southeast Asia
By Charlie Campbell July 18, 2013
1 In
Malaysia, tens of thousands have taken to the streets to condemn alleged irregularities during May 5 elections that returned the incumbent National Front coalition to power.
2 Malaysian Internet intermediaries have meanwhile been made
legally accountable for material that disseminates through their systems, including wi-fi terminals.
“People are certainly seeing things overseas and adopting them,” says Hewison. “The media is becoming much more important.” With dissidents and governments in Southeast Asia both realizing the same thing, it looks like the struggle for control of the region’s online realms has only just begun.
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Astro Awani
No need for internet censorship, says deputy minister
Haider Yutim | Updated: July 04, 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said on Thursday that there is no need for Internet censorship, as the existing law is already sufficient in curbing the cyber crimes among its users.He said what’s important is that the users should be more courteous when using the internet, to avoid themselves from being involved in cyber crimes, especially those who own blogsites.
“There is no need for a new (cyber) law… what’s important is that users should seek their own alternatives (in terms of internet usage),” said Jalani during a question and answer session in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
He was addressing a question by Datuk Bung Mokhtar (BN-Kinabatangan) who asked the ministry to state whether appropriate action has been identified against several blogs which are found to be using seditious and slanderous language to the extent that it could create chaos and disrupt the political stability of the country.
On Tuesday, the ministry also revealed that the national broadband coverage has now reached 66.7 percent, a significant improvement from 21.8 percent in 2008, with Kuala Lumpur enjoying the highest coverage at 107.5 percent.
With the wide usage of internet, bloggers have been seen to be more ‘vocal’ in their writings including slanderous and seditious remarks.
In order to curb this act, the ministry has implemented among others the ‘click smart’ programme to raise awareness on internet safety and is also reviewing existing laws on the matter.
Story first published on: July 04, 2013 15:42 (MYT)
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weehingthong 