Reckless bloggers can be prosecuted

(The Star) KUALA TERENGGANU: Bloggers who incite hatred or harp on sensitive issues like race and religion in their postings can be prosecuted for sedition, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said the Government would put in place a mechanism to monitor and prevent seditious content from being displayed on blogs.

“The proposed mechanism will not only protect Islam or the Malays but all Malaysians,” he said after attending a state Umno gathering at Batu Burok here yesterday.

Hishammuddin said issues relating to the monarchy, race or religion were sensitive in a plural society like Malaysia and there must be some laws to prevent seditious postings on the Internet.

“In the past we didn’t have such problems but with the advent of cyberspace, such seditious postings could probably hurt the feelings of certain communities,” he said.

Hishammuddin said the proposed move was not meant to clamp down or censor the Internet but to maintain the peace and harmony among the people in the country.

“There are a few irresponsible bloggers; I’m not saying all have the tendency to post sensitive issues.

“There should be some boundaries when posting in blogs. Irresponsible bloggers can cause disunity and derail the 1Malaysia concept,” he said.

Hishammuddin said the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Department, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and police will discuss the issue and come out with proposals for the monitoring mechanism.