Today all 21 internet providers were ordered by government to block the Malaysia Today website, whose founder has already been charged with sedition and facing personal defamation suit on exposing new leads and crucial information in a Mongolian murder trial linking to high level government officials. Malaysia today is probably one of the most popular political blog and alternative news source in the country.
Malaysia's main stream media is tightly controlled by the government, and it has expressed frustration over its inability to rein in Internet news portals which have become popular alternative news sources. Government crack down on local news portal sites had intensified after recent poor 12th election result, which was credited for providing unbiased and independent news to majority of readers.
Government has once again reneged on its pledge to local and international companies that undertake ICT initiative of zero censorship of internet (point 7) and freedom of information stipulated in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) ten points Bill of Guarantees.
This corridor houses core multimedia initiatives which include high technology projects such as E-government , Tele-medicine, Smart School, Multi-purpose Smart Card System, Research and Development cluster, E-Business and Techno-enterprise development , all are designed to leapfrog Malaysia into the information and knowledge age society.
Judging from government recent cracked down and heavy handed tactics toward news portals and blog owners, shown once again the usual inconsistent nature of the present ruling elite regarding policy matter, and total lack of credibility on the part of leadership in living up to their obligation relating to the bill at the time when Malaysia is moving toward the final stage of MSC development.
Any reader who face problem accessing MT in Malaysia can try the following mirror site established through foreign provider.
http://mt.m2day.org/2008 or http:// mt.m2day.org
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