Proposal for BN to be single party could be made in desperation
(Bernama) – The suggestion could have been made in a ‘desperate’ situation with the Chinese community regarding Gerakan as no longer relevant and merely wanted to depend on BN.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the suggestion by Gerakan that Barisan Nasional (BN) turns into a single party must be studied very carefully before its implementation.
He said this was because the suggestion could have been made in a ‘desperate’ situation with the Chinese community regarding Gerakan as no longer relevant and merely wanted to depend on BN.
“I don’t think the Umno leadership will agree to the formation of a single party as suggested by the Gerakan party leader,” he told reporters here today.
He was commenting on the suggestion by Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn who wanted BN to merge into a single party to regain the people’s support and to avoid racial problems.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said what was more important for Gerakan now was to strengthen the party and restructure its organisation.
On another matter, he said the ministry, via the police, will work together with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Cyber Security to check immediately the channelling of contents which violate social media law.
He said the immediate action was to ensure that information channelled by individuals or cyber groups through the various social media such as the Facebook, Twitter and blogs were transparent and correct.
“The complaints have been on the contents of the social websites and blogs including by the ‘Red Bean Army’ group which touched on matters contained in the Sedition Act concerning racial sensitivity as well as slanderous contents that exceeded legal principles,” he said.
Various groups have reportedly urged the government to take stern action against undesired elements in cyber space such as the Red Bean Army which jeopardised harmony between the people of various races in the country.
These groups also called on the authorities to amend the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to prevent slanders and sedition which the cyber troopers concerned were attempting to promote.
Ahmad Zahid said the policy on the social media mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was to provide freedom of expression including the formation of the ‘cyber troopers’ by political parties and certain groups.
However, he said these principles and policy must be respected on the basis of responsibility towards the country and the laws and must not be abused.
“This is what we try to avoid. We want the MCMC and the Malaysian Cyber Security to be able to take action, not because of the existence of the cyber troopers such as the ‘Red Bean Army’ but because of the contents in the social media managed by them,” he said.
He said 85% of new media in the country were managed by the opposition in the country without any obstacles imposed by the government.
What was puzzling was that the contents highlighted by the groups such as the Red Bean Army were believed to be done by the professional groups and technocrats who were highly educated, he said.
Meanwhile, in PUTRAJAYA, Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the ministry will review all aspects of the law, control and education, pertaining to abuse of the social media.
He said the review would also cover the latest technologies which could be utilised to check the abuse.
“We will also take a closer look at existing laws to ensure they are adequate to tackle abuse of the social media,” he told reporters here today.
He said this was because irresponsible parties would endeavour to find means to disseminate negative matters through the social media.
On the success of the MCMC in detecting the suspect who insulted the Sultan of Terengganu in his Facebook, he said the commission would continue to intensify efforts across the board.
Ahmad Shabery said the commission would always cooperate with the police and other related quarters on issues pertaining to evidence.
Earlier, the minister launched a Malaysia Customer Experience Carnival organised by the Customer Relationship Management and Contact Association of Malaysia, in conjunction with the 2013 Putrajaya Youth Festival.
