New form of denial
Friday, July 28th, 2006 | 12:55 am @ SK
Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow said the mainstream media had complained of ‘double standards’ and the uneven playing field involving the traditional and Internet media.
Fu said in view of this, the government would study amending the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) to include the Internet and electronic media under the act.
When the Government setup the Multiemedia Super Corridor (MSC), it’s guaranteed that the Internet media is not bound by the restrictive PPPA and are thus exempt for the mandatory annual licensing provision which the government uses to ensure media toes the line.
In the past, through legislation and licensing laws, it may work. But, how about Malaysia in the midst of moving into the future mode? Blogger Ong Hock Chuan has this to say.
The Malaysian leadership does this every time they are under seige: Try to control the media, and hence what they think are the means of information to the rakyat. […]With the traditional media already under their control, they are now focussing on legislating to tame the blogs and websites sites, which have become the mainstay of dissent and information for politically aware Malaysians. The government is now talking about amending the Printing and Publications Act so that they can assert control over the blogosphere and websites. […]
But resorting to such means of control is just another form of denial. It is time for the Malaysian leadership to realize that in the 21st Century, not only is the whole world watching, the whole world can upload what they see, hear and feel. The people in this new world are like the newspapers, TV and radio stations they would like to control, but can’t.
The only recourse is to enter into a discussion with these empowered lot of uploaders. Until they learn to do that they are bound to find control slipping from their hands fast. There is a saying that if all you have is a hammer, every problem begins to look like a nail.
Food for thought.
July 28th, 2006 at 2:45 am
What is it that the "authorities" are doing that they are so afraid of the people finding out? If they do not have anything to hide, why are they so afraid of people digging out information about them.
Instead of setting up censorship laws, the money and resources would be better off used on improving the quality and education levels of these authorities so that quality decisions are made and fruitful actions are taken.
Come to think of it, isn’t these "authorities" the group of people we voted for and hence believed in, and the same group of people that is living off the taxes we pay?
Really reminds me of the classic quote from V-for-Vendetta: "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
August 2nd, 2006 at 12:45 pm
[…] It was only last week when blogger Ong Hock Chuan (http://unspun.wordpress.com) questioned the new form of denial, when Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow said the government would study amending the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) to include the Internet and electronic media under the act, in which Fu denied later by saying he was misquoted by the press. […]
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:46 am
[…] Remember the hype of internet control? Remember Fu Ah Kiow? […]