Bloggers team to counter negative perception

(Bernama) – Wanita Umno is consolidating its team of bloggers to counter the negative perception that has been caused by opposition parties against Umno and Barisan Nasional.

“We will defend (negative) criticisms against Umno and the Government through social media. At the national level, we have a social media bureau. Given that the Opposition uses many bloggers, we too, have our own bloggers,” said Wanita Umno information chief Datuk Rosni Zahari.

Declining to reveal the identity of the bloggers, she however said: “We are currently enhancing our bloggers’ team to counter the negative perception by the opposition.”

Wanita Umno has a social media bureau which was given the task to strengthen the blogger team, by increasing the capacity and effectiveness of its work, she told reporters after opening the Sepanggar Wanita Umno meeting yesterday.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Salleh Tun Said Keruak said he saw a need for a review of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

Malaysians, he said, had viewed the social media and Internet as a lawless domain.

A review was timely as social media had become a necessary tool of everyday life that impacted not only the flow of information but finance and commerce as well.

“When the Act was enacted in 1998, the Government did not envisage how popular the Internet would become and how rapid and widespread the usage of the social media would be,” he said in a blog posting.

Dr Mohd Salleh voiced his concerns about crimes such as fraud, data theft, identity theft and fabrication of false news and fake documents.

While upholding freedom of speech and the right to information, he said Malaysians must also be protected, from libel, slander and character assassination, which he said were criminal acts that appeared to have become a trend of late.

“In no country in the world does freedom of speech include the freedom to lie and slander. National security and public order are also of concern. These can be jeopardised if there are no proper controls over what people do and say,” he said.