MORE PICS – Mat Taib Police Report (on Jul 11 Comments); Nazri: Tough Action - ISA, Sedition & 121(b); Deputy IGP: Investigation from All angles

Jul 24 07

ABOVE & BELOW:Malaysiakini has RPK "puzzling " response on Jul 24 07 to the the Police Report Filed by UMNO Information Chief Mat Taib (see Bernama report Below). Indeed a check at MT site reveals there were NO posting on 11th July 07 . Only posts dated 8th Jul & 13th Jul can be seen (see captures below).
As the report is targeted at a specific date, one can look into the comments dated 11th Jul 07 on post 08/07 with 148 comments. There could be an error in the Jul 11 dated referred to. Look into other comments on other dates in post 08/07 and you find some very disturbing comments.

Details H E RE at Malaysiakini

ABOVE: 08/07 Post (Check comments on Dates 11 & 12 Jul) and BELOW 13/07 post;

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Meanwhile the Deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz (ABOVE)said "police will investigate from all angles to see whether it is a seditious case or under multimedia act" And at the Senate, Mat Taib urged for swift action and Datuk Mohd Nazri's stern warning (see below)
"for publishing sensitive comments".
Just like Nat , they are going after comments left in Blogs.

Blogs and weblogs are created out of joy, playfulness and creativity to share your thoughts and observations. You are using your natural abilities freely.

As life is spontaneous so you believe blogs should be as free as air and spontaneous -comments and interactions can then flow through them indiscriminately – uncensored?
Interactions with others do occur, yet none occur what you do not attract or draw to you by your THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, ATTITUDES or EMOTIONS expressed in your blogs.

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July 24, 2007 22:00 PM

Govt Warns Of Tough Action Against Bloggers Who Disparage

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- The government today warned of tough action against web bloggers who write on sensitive issues which include insulting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the government would not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act (ISA), the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 121b of the Penal Code against these bloggers. He said the government had exercised restraint in the matter for a long time and the time had come for it to act according to those laws. "I want to issue a warning that the time has come for us to take action against them (bloggers who make disparaging statements).

We have the right and we will do it. We have been very patient," he said when winding up debate on the Electronic Government Activities Bill 2007 in the Dewan Negara here. The bill was passed. Yesterday, Umno lodged a report at the Dang Wangi Police Station against the web portal "Malaysia Today" for publishing sensitive comments on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam, and of a racial nature. Umno Information Chief Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who had made the police report, had said that the public comments carried on the portal on July 11 violated the law and insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"Such publication is deemed as likely to spark crime and incite racial and religious violence," he had said. Muhammad, also raised the matter in the Dewan Negara today during the debate on the Electronic Government Activities Bill. Urging the government to act against the portal, he said the contents could undermine unity as well as corrupt young minds. "The liberal writing on the portal can cause young minds to think that there are no rules and sensitivities governing articles and that anyone can write on any matter in the name of individual freedom," he said. "At a time when the government is introducing the system of electronic government, there are unhealthy developments in the form of publications on the web such as this, articles which can be read not only by our society but also the whole world and anyone for that matter, even children," he added. Muhamad said there was no absolute freedom in any country and that Malaysia had its own ways to regulate the freedom, which was founded on the practice of tolerance and mutual respect among the races that had been going on for a long time.

Senator Datuk Norraesah Mohamed intervened to get Muhamad's explanation on his view that the issues raised in "Malaysia Today" went beyond criticism to attacks specifically to incite hatred among the people. She also called for tough action, saying what had happened would not only ruin the ruling party but also touched on the integrity and stability of the country. Nazri also hit out at the blogger for criticising Muhamad for his having lodged the police report, and described him as a blogger who was childish. He said his officers would consider the appropriate law so that the blogger involved could be penalised as per the misconduct. He also said that the government planned to draft an act to enable it to monitor and act against bloggers who committed offences. "This is not aimed at eliminating the freedom of speech but to wipe out the freedom to cheat, defame and hurt people so that blogs can really be a source of correct information and sincere views and not a platform to hurl abuses at people," he said. When replying to a question raised by Senator Ismail Kassim, Nazri said he did not rule out the possibility that full-time bloggers were sponsored by certain quarters. The Dewan Negara also approved the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2007, Islamic Banking (Amendment) Bill 2007, Takaful (Amendment) Bill 2007 and Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Bill 2007.

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July 24, 2007 23:14 PM

Website Operators, Journalists Not Above The Law

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Website operators and journalists are again reminded that they will not escape the country's law if they create tension among the people of various races and religions in this country. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said they must be fully responsible for their website and should not take the government's tolerance as a licence to publish anything in the name of freedom of expression without considering the social implication. "In the name of freedom, these websites allow slanders, lies, vulgarity, insults and chauvinistic materials to be published.

The freedom to write and express opinion has its limit as provided for in the country's law. "This development is unhealthy. Although the government is very tolerant with regard to the anti-government stand and criticisms expressed in the websites, we are deeply concerned about the insulting statements against a particular religion as well as the racial sentiments which could cause racial unrest. "The government is responsible for social harmony and we will not allow any group to jeopardise national solidarity and create racial unrest," he said at the Malaysian Press Award Night 2007 organised by the Malaysian Press Institute, here tonight. He said website operators must demonstrate a responsible and meticulous attitude because as writers, they must appreciate the aspiration of Malaysians to build a peaceful and stable country.

He said the irresponsible attitude was contradictory to the strict professionalism maintained by media practitioners and went against journalism ethics which advocated correct reporting, objectivity, fairness and obtaining information from official sources. Najib said the government was worried about the development in the alternative media because some of them were managing their columns based on personal opinion and inclination without considering the racial and religious sensitivities in the country. "Journalists must obtain correct facts and report accurately. Any report and visual or photograph carried must reflect what is actually happening," he said. However, despite these developments, journalists remained as the resources that transformed information into news reports and features, thus serious emphasis on training them in the short and continuous term was crucial so that they would continue to maintain strict professionalism. Journalists must also understand certain issues which formed the basis of nationhood especially those which were sensitive, and those who had forgotten history would be lost and it would be difficult to find the way forward to attain greater progress.

"Malaysian journalists, whether representing the mainstream media or the new media organisations must look at history as the guiding principle in churning out various genre of reports namely news, features, commentaries, interviews and so on," he said. He said disputes over differences in religion, culture and custom in the media would not resolve the problem but could lead to disintegration and quarrels if not dealt with properly and with responsibility.

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July 23, 2007 21:17 PM

Mat Taib Lodges Police Report Against Malaysia Today

ABOVE: Mat Taib showing the UMNO report and BELOW: the gang of 30 who accompanied him to make the report

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- Umno information chief Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib today lodged a police report against blogsite Malaysia Today for carrying articles deemed to have insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Statements and comments posted in the blogsite dated July 11 were deemed to have contravened the Penal Code, Sedition Act and the Communication and Multimedia Act, he told reporters after lodging the report at the Tun H.S. Lee police station here.

ABOVE: A closer view of the attached Report to the Police Report and BELOW: The UMNO veterans who were with him at the Police station

"It was over a report which had insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the monarchy. It had also insulted and poked fun at Islam as the official religion of the federation." Muhammad said comments posted on the blogsite also incited hate betweem the various races and could affect unity and national security. The Kelana Jaya Umno division leader said he had been advised against divulging the statements and comments to the media as they were too sensitive. "As responsible citizens, we cannot allow such articles to be posted on blogsites and urged the authorities to act in accordance with the law," he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today the government is not on a witch hunt for bloggers. "No, we are not going after bloggers. However, everyone must be aware that there are laws in this country," he told reporters after a meeting with leaders of Chinese Chambers of Commerce at his office in Putrajaya. He was commenting on whether the government was tracking down bloggers after Umno lodged a police report against Malaysia Today for allegedly posting disparaging remarks against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Islam. Najib said that anyone can lodge a police report. "It is up to the authorities to investigate whether the bloggers had contravened any laws of the country or not," he added. Before this, a blogger was detained on July 13 for four days for questioning by police under the Official Secrets Act

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