Rais: Do not abuse the Internet
Fri, Apr 17, 2009
The Star/Asia News Network
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The government is not out to find fault with bloggers and Internet users but rather wants them to adhere to the guidelines and laws and to ensure the Internet, which acts as an alternative media, is not misused or exploited.
Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the ministry played an important role in establishing that only the "right kind of information" reached the masses.
"It is not that we are looking for fault all the time. But we would like the right of the people to be guarded by the relevant authorities and the law.
"Our aim is to see the 1Malaysia concept succeed. However, in order to succeed, the facts must not be twisted or misinterpreted by some until it raises racial sentiments.
"If the right information does not reach the people, how can there be success? So, I want everyone to understand and respect the law," he said after the ministry's monthly gathering at the Sultan Abdul Samad building here yesterday.
He added that anybody who violated the law had to answer for his or her action.
"There are various laws that govern the rights of people to communicate, especially through the Internet.
"The ministry, however, would not be taking hasty action against critics as long as they did not flout the Communications and Multimedia Act," he said.
He added that officers and agencies under the ministry were capable of carrying out their duties and enforcing the Communications and Multimedia Act, and the role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
On another matter he said RTM had full control over the selection of reports for its news segments.
He said the media, be it government or private-owned, had the right to choose the news reports they wanted, as long as they were not prejudiced.
He said the ministry would only "interfere" when reports are not balanced.
"RTM will remain neutral," said Dr Rais, who was replying to an online news report, which claimed that TV1 was given verbal instructions not to report the boycott incident at the Terengganu state assembly sitting on Tuesday.
On an unrelated matter, Dr Rais said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed to have the official name of the ministry changed to Information, Communications and Culture, with the word "Arts" removed.
He said the three ministries amalgamated into one would undertake greater enforcement under the Communications and Multimedia Act. --The Star/ANN
Fri, Apr 17, 2009
The Star/Asia News Network
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The government is not out to find fault with bloggers and Internet users but rather wants them to adhere to the guidelines and laws and to ensure the Internet, which acts as an alternative media, is not misused or exploited.
Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the ministry played an important role in establishing that only the "right kind of information" reached the masses.
"It is not that we are looking for fault all the time. But we would like the right of the people to be guarded by the relevant authorities and the law.
"Our aim is to see the 1Malaysia concept succeed. However, in order to succeed, the facts must not be twisted or misinterpreted by some until it raises racial sentiments.
"If the right information does not reach the people, how can there be success? So, I want everyone to understand and respect the law," he said after the ministry's monthly gathering at the Sultan Abdul Samad building here yesterday.
He added that anybody who violated the law had to answer for his or her action.
"There are various laws that govern the rights of people to communicate, especially through the Internet.
"The ministry, however, would not be taking hasty action against critics as long as they did not flout the Communications and Multimedia Act," he said.
He added that officers and agencies under the ministry were capable of carrying out their duties and enforcing the Communications and Multimedia Act, and the role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
On another matter he said RTM had full control over the selection of reports for its news segments.
He said the media, be it government or private-owned, had the right to choose the news reports they wanted, as long as they were not prejudiced.
He said the ministry would only "interfere" when reports are not balanced.
"RTM will remain neutral," said Dr Rais, who was replying to an online news report, which claimed that TV1 was given verbal instructions not to report the boycott incident at the Terengganu state assembly sitting on Tuesday.
On an unrelated matter, Dr Rais said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed to have the official name of the ministry changed to Information, Communications and Culture, with the word "Arts" removed.
He said the three ministries amalgamated into one would undertake greater enforcement under the Communications and Multimedia Act. --The Star/ANN
