The popularity enjoyed by the alternative media is not a green light for writers to act with impunity, the deputy prime minister said.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak, during a question and answer session at the Asia Media Summit in Nikko Hotel here yesterday, said while the government was open to criticism, there were limits to what could be expressed.

He was answering a question by a conference delegate as to whether the prosecution of blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin contradicted the government's claims of allowing freedom of speech.

"He is allowed to criticise the government very robustly. But when he made some very serious and baseless allegations, the attorney-general decided to act.

"There is a line that you cannot cross," said Najib, adding that Raja Petra was jailed because he refused to post bail.

"He changed his mind about being in prison after a couple of days and posted bail."

On the media as a whole, Najib said the wider interests of society could not be compromised in the tussle for better ratings.

"For example, the print media, when clamouring for readership, exploits certain issues and exaggerates them. This is detrimental and injurious to national unity, which is why we have laws to take action against those who cross the line.

Also attending the conference which had some 536 delegates from 66 countries were Deputy Information Minister Datuk Tan Lian Hoe and Institute of Strategic and International Studies chairman and CEO Datuk Seri Jawhar Hassan.

He conceded that the Barisan Nasional's poor presence on the Internet cost it support in the last elections and said there was a need to engage the new media.

"This was one of the factors that led to us having a worse than expected performance. But we live and learn. Being silent is not an option anymore and we have to address the issues raised."

Najib, who earlier delivered the summit's keynote address on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said the medium and the message of the mass media had expanded so much that it could no longer be held as an absolute good.

He urged journalists not to be too taken in by the "bells and whistles of technology", but to hold to established virtues of accuracy, intelligence, fairness and grit as these formed the competitive advantage of the traditional press in the "anarchic environment of the new age".

"The right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be used as a pretext or excuse to violate and abuse the reputation and dignity of a people, to slander and libel or to defame religions or religious symbols.

"If this were the case, there would be no laws of defamation or libel and laws against those who incite racial or ethnic violence."

Najib said Malaysia's laws were not curbs on freedom, but essential for the healthy functioning of society.

"It may cost us a few points on the World Press Freedom Index, which is based on specific assumptions and premises, but our security and the wellbeing of our society takes precedence."

NEW STRAITS TIMES 

Comments (40)

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written by oster, May 28, 2008 | 11:19:19

If government is more transparent and politicians not so secretive, the public can scrutinise for themselves every accusation and verify their truth.

The best weapon against lies is after all, The Truth, not more censorship.

The root cause of slander on the internet is not the "impunity" of the writers, but the secretive nature of the government and its leaders that allows gossip to flourish.

Be more open, honest and transparent and watch conspiracy theories get less currency. Najib should look at the root causes (himself and his cohorts) instead.

cheers

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written by anak penang, May 28, 2008 | 11:29:49

najis,
it will be easier to ban all blogs.
then you can do whatever you want
since you can't challenge them with your own blog

then you can be PM
and bomb out anyone who poses a threat to you

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written by mymastermind79, May 28, 2008 | 11:29:50

woi najib, why are you so stupid? how to be PM? you always forget that you are the servent for the public. Shut-up and do what the rakyat want, its as simple as that.

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written by freedom lover, May 28, 2008 | 11:35:37

Mr. Najib, While you are targetting your anger to the achievements of this new media, please refer your enforcement authorities to take approriate actions on those who instigate racial sentiments amongst the people! In case you are ignorant of the names of those individuals, please refer to this new media for answers!

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written by DezMalaysia, May 28, 2008 | 11:36:13

Censorships tailored to your appetite ? C4 missing & murdered cases not reported... Yeah ! Censored to protect Najis Busuk ! Censored to protect your second-hand wife Rosmah from being exposed ! Censored to hide misusage of rakyat's funds to buy private plane...

It's better censor-bann the whole BN completely... Peace !

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written by Goliverpool, May 28, 2008 | 11:36:40

The question of transparency,openess, fair and equitable policies are basically a bane for the current administration. The question is if above are rightly and perfectly implemented, then will there be a lambastful of accusations hurled to the government? If every single decision is made in the interest of the rakyat, will there be a need to impound bloggers or even considering censorship or even prosecution ? The rule of thumb is transparency invites good governance while secrecy invites cronyism and corruption. There is no secret that there is much to lose by the current administration if it preaches wht it advocates. Unfortunately for BN, the doom is near.

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written by LKO, May 28, 2008 | 11:37:15

"It may cost us a few points on the World Press Freedom Index, which is based on specific assumptions and premises, but our security and the wellbeing of our society takes precedence."

Wow, another same assumption as death in the NS camps. To him everything is just numbers. Wooh, if that is true then the ones rank higher than Malaysia are not secure and full of social conflict???? Another big bullshit.

No wonder so many in UMNO cannot decide who is the bigger mistake to support, AAB or Najib.

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written by cheemengwong, May 28, 2008 | 11:38:35

Impunity ....exemption from punishment, harm, or recrimination

We see this from the doings of the present day government and they have been doing a lot of things against the Raayat

ISA
Water Cannons
Deny scholarships
Buy Aeroplane for own use
Buy submarines cannot use
Built buidlings cannot use
Collect tolls even one stay less than 1 km away.
Increase petrol prices
Increase toll
Schools without chairs, tables, teachers
License to plunder raayat by simply increasing prices of necessary items.

and so on...

Who are doing things?

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written by Debbie, May 28, 2008 | 11:39:10

sheesh........".the security and wellbeing of our society takes precedence"
Has it ever?

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written by eeyaw, May 28, 2008 | 11:42:21

Mr C4,In Malaysia's context since the MSM are highly skewed towards Barisan then it's fair game that the alternative media are allowed. If you think that there's no truth in what's written by bloggers like Raja Petra then by all means refute it with your own explanation like the one on Altantuya's murder, using Government machinery to charge Raja Petra with the Sedition Act.

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written by ChickenRic, May 28, 2008 | 11:43:21

Tell me Najib, what excuse are you going to make when you face God? Or do you still believe or have ever believe in God?

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written by batsman, May 28, 2008 | 11:50:01

Who has the power to decide where this line is to be drawn? Does UMNO still want to claim monopoly for this power to decide? I thought UMNO wants to reform? Why cling on to the old strategy of monopoly in everything in order to succeed? UMNO needs monopoly. Without monopoly it is like a toothless, clawless tiger. UMNO must have monopoly in politics, business, religion, Malay rulers' affairs, culture, finance, judiciary, police, criminal contacts, race relations as well as press and media. This list is not even close to complete yet. UMNO must have monopoly in everything, otherwise it will implode due to the enormous emptiness and vacuum that forms its inner core.

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written by Bandit, May 28, 2008 | 11:58:48

Najis,

This one for You and your whole Barisan Najis...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKhjzJKAOoE

Cheers!!

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written by Spear Bing, May 28, 2008 | 11:59:27

Strange, why the conference delegates did not pose the question to Najib on the recent public statements made by TDM who uttered explosive racial issues that may trigger ethnic tension and strife.

TDM has clearly crossed the line, and by all yardstick, he can be arrested and charged for sedition.

No doubt that..... that is Najib or AG dare to exercise their power to invoke Sedition Act.

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written by ilovepakatan, May 28, 2008 | 12:01:26

Open to criticism but there were limits to what could be expressed?
Means you can go to the toilet but you cannot do "big business" and only wash your hand?

Get a life,!
Read: http://bolehjokes.blogspot.com/

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written by avaaz, May 28, 2008 | 12:04:49

Can we ask what has been done about leaders who cross the line?
Just for example what action has the leadership of this Nation taken against Selangor Exco who used up a year's allocation in 2 months, indiscriminate spending of money that was placed in their trust by the Rakyat.
Why is it all the time, we writers and rakyat are in the firing line, just because the misdeeds should not be exposed, is this a fair deal?
Why haven't we really heard of the civil service and elected representatives who have abused their power being charged?
Different rules for leaders and rakyat, why?

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written by Flex65, May 28, 2008 | 12:07:51

He is allowed to criticise the government very robustly. But when he made some very serious and baseless allegations, the attorney-general decided to act.

If RPK writing is a baseless allegations then he should be charge or sued for defamation and not sedition. Can I conclude that the allegations are not baseless and therefore true? Hope Datuk Seri Najib can enlighten us on this. This comment is just a question not a statement so it should not be seditious in nature.

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written by Arubin, May 28, 2008 | 12:09:32

Are you watching, Mr Najib? Because here it is again!!!



Mind you, I'm no writer though. This is freedom of artistic expression.

(Actually, it was 10 minutes worth of mucking around with Gimp, but that's not the point... )

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written by lamakawan, May 28, 2008 | 12:11:59

You said by not engaging in the internet, that cost you the last elections. Now how about starting to engage in the internet? To kick it off, please respond to the article which you and your cohorts alleged as seditious......."... send all the murderers of all tan tu ya to hell." Over to you yang berhormat.

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written by red1, May 28, 2008 | 12:30:40

Even if we do cross the line, you can sue us. That is what you have done with RPK. So what is the problem?

Freedom of expression does not mean we are going to be immune from the law of tort. Having a driving license means we can tell the traffic police that we cannot be fined. Law is still the law. But what is above the law is the constitutional basic right of non-violent expression.

Redhuan D. Oon
http://padi-malaysia.blogspot.com/

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written by asguard, May 28, 2008 | 12:33:57

Yes and more cover-up than being CAT...

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written by Saint, May 28, 2008 | 12:39:06

Does this country belongs to UMNO or to the people?
Dato' Najib, please think about this for a moment.

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written by Daryl, May 28, 2008 | 12:43:37

I would rather believe in rumors than accept lies BN told us over and over again and expect us to believe them. The accusations by RPK is personal and should not amount to sedition charge but maybe a weak court case. So weak

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written by densemy, May 28, 2008 | 12:45:43

as there appears to be no limit on the government's criminal, wasteful, neglectful and incompetent governance why should there be any limit on the public's right to criticise such ineptitude

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written by InEffective, May 28, 2008 | 12:48:56

He is trying very hard for controls on freedoms and free-speech.
Unfortunately he brings it on himself for all the illegitimate behavior and practices of the politicians.

If they just started delivering real value to the rakyat, they'd have no issues or fears about the bloggers.

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written by PasarRoad, May 28, 2008 | 12:52:29

Mr Najib Razak,

The first thing you should do is to put your UMNO house in order. Are you or would you stop your party from playing up racial issues?

Utusan and the rest of others are online too and their reporting is certainly seditious. So are you willing to take action against them?

You wouldn't right?

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written by ralverd, May 28, 2008 | 12:52:30

Where is the freedom of speech? The reason that the alternative media became popular was the suppression of free speech by the BN government. We, the people want and deserve to know the truth. Not propagandas that write off the bad things that are happening in our very own country

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written by joeawk, May 28, 2008 | 13:00:42

Why no action against mahatir so far. Malaysians are still waiting. What about the kris affair? It was boiling hotttttt and after all this years,still no action against nojob and hishomodan.

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written by disgruntled, May 28, 2008 | 13:13:39

Well done Arubin. we need more artists like you on the internet to counter the allegations by najis.

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written by A MI, May 28, 2008 | 13:15:15

Mr Razak (Ermm well in English that is how Najis will be termed I believe; do not confuse with Razak baginda)
“Chi K’ang Tzu asked Confucius about government. Confucius answered, ‘To govern (cheng) is to correct (cheng). If you set an example by being correct, who would dare to remain incorrect?’”(Book XII, verse 17 - page 115). This quote, from the Analects, really explains Confucius’s philosophy of government, and perfect for advice to give the 2004 presidential candidates.

What Confucius is saying here is that the best way to lead is by example. More specifically, if a leader wants the people to be moral he would have to be moral himself. This means that a leader does not get special privilege when it comes to the laws, or what Confucius calls “the rites,” and he is very concerned about the rites. He says specifically, “Do not look unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not listen unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not speak unless it is in accordance with the rites; do not move unless it is in accordance with the rites.” (Book XII, verse 1 - page 114). A leader would not want to be caught doing something that was not in accordance to the rites because what then would make the people want to uphold the rites?

However this beginning quote also says that government and correct are very similar. The translator points out in this section, the use of the word “cheng” which, according to him, means both “to govern” and “correct.” This means that in order to properly be” governing” a leader would need to be “correct” since these words is interchangeable in Confucius speaking during this situation. So in other word a leader could not be considered governing if he was not correct.

So Mr Razak are you correct? Even Mr Correct Correct Correct is not "cheng

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written by tikuih, May 28, 2008 | 13:16:02

NAJIS says: Writers cannot 'cross the line with impunity'

RAKYAT says: Najis must not cross the line with racism and power abuse.

who said he wanted to bathe chinese blood with his keris?
who released the C4?
who erased altantuya's visa records?

keeping quiet when the balance of probabilities are all pointed at YOU, NAJIS, just proves to the rakyat that you have skeletons to hide, isn't it? leave it to the ag? please la, the guy with zero integrity and bn's stamping pad? give us a break!!

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written by Sagaladoola, May 28, 2008 | 14:07:28

Najib .... We want Justice for Altantuya lah !

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written by Counterpointer, May 28, 2008 | 14:10:17

Something's gonna blow.

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written by densemy, May 28, 2008 | 14:39:07

The problem lies not with the writers crossing the line but with those who draw the line

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written by mgeo, May 28, 2008 | 15:13:33

The right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be used as a pretext or excuse to violate and abuse the reputation and dignity of a people, to slander and libel or to defame religions or religious symbols.
Which "people" or "religions" did RPK defame?
Use of govt. machinery for personal use = Corruption.

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written by Jan, May 28, 2008 | 15:57:24

How come Utusan can write whatever they like but Raja Petra cannot?
You know very well Utusan has been writing seditious things for years but you never said anything. It shows your rules don't apply to UMNO people or their cronies. You people are Hypocrites of the highest order.

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written by Everbright, May 28, 2008 | 18:02:17

There was a time when MSM ruled this Nation. Now the alternative media has been born. In those dark ages, secretive deals were hatched in foreign lands. Commissions were paid to Cronies for arms deal. Your answers in Parliament that these commissions were all above board and were legit. As a common Rakyat, I cannot understand how these gargantuan commissions could be paid for a G-to-G deal. You have lost a lot of credibility my dear Razak. You carried a special name but you have failed to live up to your family calling. Today, your reputation is zero. I am still waiting for a statement as the Minister of Defence how C4 could be sneaked out from the Army for illegit use?? You have a lot to answer for. I hear of rumors about something in PD many years ago that was hushed up. How come? There was no alternative media in those days. Yes, do confront us in the blogs. I looked forward to trashing out and voicing out the truths.

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written by fireduck, May 28, 2008 | 18:02:53

This guy cannot be our PM. I watched Bernama News yesterday about the summit, and when questioned by one foreign journalist (I think) about how Malaysia talked about being more transparent and open, and yet still have laws that are counter to that. And this nincompoop, instead of answering professionally as a leader of our nation, just said brought up the US and Guantanamo issue, and asked the journalist to go ask the US Govt to close down Guantanamo first. And he smiled very smugly just because some shameless buggers in the audience (probably UMNO goons) clapped at his remarks. Totally no tact!

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written by future, May 28, 2008 | 21:40:01

Sudahlah Najib diluar bukan main jagaoan
balik rumah macam tikus dengan kuching.
Cakap awak saja betul.....apa suara rakyat
tak boleh nak dipakai.

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written by Sabahfan, May 28, 2008 | 22:34:13

HOI mr NAJUB......

U fix a line for others, but for your own Bumiputras... the lines either keep moving or does not exist...

Your Umno has provided so many different kiind of lines for the rakyat to followl..

1.. religious lines, masuk islam bolehk, keluar tak boleh

2.. Cant cross the lines of cover ups otherwise if we do, then we know all the lies and bullshits in your administration of this country

3. BN lines of previleges, sorry opposition cant cross of follow..

4. Bns lines of get rich quick thru fancy projects to enrich yourself and cronies.... sorry others cant cros the line...

and so many other lines..

Now you try to get into cyberspace and draw fictitious lines?

screww you lah, you cant succedd where Lucifer has failed...

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