Malaysia Targets Bloggers
- From: ** <**@.org>
- Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:46:03 +0800
Malaysia Targets Bloggers
DiscussPrintEmailReprints Monday, July 30th 2007 @ 4:00 AM PDT
By Christopher Nickson
Staff Writer, Digital Trends News
Del.icio.us
The Malaysian government plans to invoke anti-terror laws against bloggers who
insult Islam or criticize the king.
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In a disturbing move, the Malaysian government has said it will invoke
anti-terror laws against bloggers who insult Islam or the county?s king.
Although officials claim they?re not trying to stifle free speech on the
Internet, the laws allow for a suspect to be detained indefinitely, without
trial or charge. One commentator has already undergone police questioning
following a complaint lodged by Malaysia?s governing party.
The government has asserted that the new rules are simply intended to push
toward more moderation in Internet postings. Others, though, feel that the
intention is to stop criticism of the government?s record.
One such critic, Raja Petra Kamarudin, editor of the popular Malaysia Today
site, and a critic of the government, especially Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi, voluntarily turned himself in to police last Wednesday. He was to face
questioning for mocking Islam and threatening racial harmony.
?I was alleged to have insulted the king, and also Islam and incite racial
hatred, so I am going in there to reply to all these charges. I promise I'm
going to give them a hell of a tough time,? he told the BBC. ?Many people,
especially the non-Malays in this country, do not have a forum to air their
views.?
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