Fortunately my site was down on the day that it was announced that fanning racial tensions will get you a mere slap on the wrist. Else, I too might have faced the same fate as that of Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK).
The man has today been placed under the ISA and will remain there for the next 60 days (well after the dreaded September 16 deadline is past). I can just see the relief on the faces of those in power when the clock strikes midnight on September 16 and moves to September 17. It will mean living yet another day – hooray!
I am however rather perturbed by these :-
Syed Hamid also confirmed that Sin Chew Daily, The Sun and Suara Keadilan were issued show cause letters.
“They have been given a week to reply,” he added.
and take care what you say on your blog:-
Raja Petra’s arrest comes a day after the Cabinet ordered the Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) to reinstate access to all blocked websites, including the controversial Malaysia Today.
Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said on Thursday the order was made because there were other “harsher” laws in the country, under which authorities could take action against the owners of blogs and websites, instead of blocking it.
“The Cabinet has asked the ministry to direct MCMC to reinstate access to any blocked website with immediate effect.
“At the same time, it is asking MCMC to closely cooperate with the police, the Attorney-General’s Office and the Home Minister to monitor any website or blog to ensure that this does not contain seditious, racist or religiously insensitive remarks.
“Instead of blocking access to offensive websites, the Cabinet wants authorities to investigate and act quickly against the owners of these sites,” he said in Putrajaya.
In other words, you can say what you want on your blog, and access will not be blocked but you risk getting a knock on the door in the middle of the night and hauled off in your flannel pjs and fluffy pink bunny slippers to spend 60 nights on a cold hard floor, eating watered down curry rice with no visitation rights and no need for an explanation.
I’m going to err on the side of caution and weave Spanish soap opera tales instead 
{ 1 trackback }
Comments on this entry are closed.