Opposition will resist any government attempt to control internet
(TMI) – The opposition will resist any attempt by Putrajaya to restrict use of the internet, calling it a selfish attempt to undermine freedom of information so as to perpetuate Barisan Nasional’s (BN) hold on power.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (pic) said that the desperate attempt by BN to maintain its status quo would not succeed as the people had already spoken in the 13th general election by giving Pakatan Rakyat the popular vote.
He labelled the attempt as a violation of BN’s very own Multimedia Supercorridor Bill of Guarantees against internet censorship.
Lim questioned if this new “draconian” move was yet another failure of the ruling coalition’s policy following the abandonment of national reconciliation and 1Malaysia.
“The double standards and selective prosecution of punishing only those who attack Muslim sensitivities but not when non-Muslims are attacked is now followed by attacking internet use,” he said in a statement today.
Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said the move was no different from “autocratic dictators desperately trying to cling on to power”.
“How can internet bans help to prevent confusion that may arise as a result of internet defamation as mentioned by Ahmad Shabery, especially when there are double standards in punishing only opponents of BN but not when PR leaders are clearly defamed,” he said, referring to Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek’s statement.
Ahmad Shabery said at a Ramadan gathering yesterday that internet defamation and similar ill-intentioned actions must be curbed before the situation deteriorated.
He added that his ministry would not hesitate to revise the internet facilities and access accorded to users in Malaysia, iterating that such move was to prevent confusion that might arise as a result of imprudent use of the internet.
