Malaysia Targets Bloggers

By Digital Trends Staff July 29, 2007

In a disturbing move, the Malaysian government has said it will invoke anti-terror laws against bloggers who insult Islam or the county’sking. Although officials claim they’re not trying to stifle free speech on the Internet, the laws allow for a suspect to be detained indefinitely, without trial or charge. Onecommentator has already undergone police questioning following a complaint lodged by Malaysia’s governing party. The government has asserted that the new rules are simply intended topush toward more moderation in Internet postings. Others, though, feel that the intention is to stop criticism of the government’s record. One such critic, Raja Petra Kamarudin, editorof the popular Malaysia Today site, and a critic of the government, especially Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, voluntarily turned himselfin to police last Wednesday. He was to face questioning for mocking Islam and threatening racial harmony. “I was alleged to have insulted the king, and also Islam and incite racialhatred, so I am going in there to reply to all these charges. I promise I’m going to give them a hell of a tough time,” he told the BBC. “Many people,especially the non-Malays in this country, do not have a forum to air their views.”

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