Blogger Beware !

CRY, BELOVED COUNTRY

Bloggers beware... In the same week, we had Fu saying one thing one day and then another thing the next day, Zam reaffirming what his deputy had already denied, and Keng Yaik dismissing these two and their talk of government's control of the internet.

But when the PM is the one issuing the warning, then we must conclude that something is really wrong. Something is fundamentally wrong with all of us.
(Ahirudin bin Attan wrote in his blog"Rocky's Bru")



Blogger Berjaga-Jaga

MENGAMBIL MAKLUM hujah Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, baru-baru ini bahawa media massa arus perdana lebih berwibawa dan justeru itu tidak perlu meniru akhbar Internet dan Weblog (blog), maka saya memetik laporan dua buah akhbar arus perdana mengenai keputusan Perdana Menteri mengarahkan pemantauan dan kawalan ke atas akhbar Internet, blog dan sistem pesanan ringkas (SMS).

(Utusan Malaysia Rabu, 2 Ogos, 2006)

I have lived long enough; going 59 in a few days.

I have been a journalist long enough; 37 years in all.

I have “collaborated” with the authorities long enough.

I have seen threats to civil liberty and press freedom often enough.

I have heard of promises of liberty, freedom and openness often enough.

I have seen press freedom being lost and rarely recovered often enough.

I have seen the ups and downs of the country often enough.

I have to cope with law and order issues everyday of my working life.

I have been named in libel suits countless times, questioned by the SB and interviewed by the ACA and Securities Commission.

I have seen four Prime Ministers came and gone.

I have seen countless young upstarts came like thunder and disappeared like tumbleweed in the desert wind.

I have seen the roads leading away from the ballot boxes littered with broken promises.

I have seen so many things that make me cry.

I have seen as many things that make me laugh.

I have and will always cry for this beloved country of ours.
(A Kadir Jasin wrote in his blog" The Scribe")

Nation
Wednesday August 2, 2006

PM: Those who spread untruths on the Net will be detained
KUALA TERENGGANU: The Prime Minister has issued a warning – those who spread untruths and slander on the Internet will face the law.

If information in blogs, websites and online portals were incorrect, bordered on slander, caused disturbance or compelled the public to lose faith in the nation’s economic policies, their authors would be detained for investigation, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“We cannot allow such matters to flow through uncontrolled,” he told newsmen after attending a briefing on the proposed Islamic Civilisation Park in Pulau Wan Man here.
(more...)(The Star)


Oriental Daily News :東方快訊

低估民智 部落客抨監控開倒車 3/8/2006

（吉隆坡2日訊）政府發出監管互聯網部落格（Blog）的呼聲，惹起部落客（Blogger）反彈，他們認為監控之舉是開倒車及勞民傷財，更低估人民辨識資訊真偽對錯的能力。

他們說，當局必須達到更高的透明度，才不會造成人民上網成網民後傳播錯誤資訊，以致「一犬吠聲，百犬吠影」。

他們也認為，若當局落實監管部落格，等同于過濾互聯網資訊，苛刻手段將削弱外資對我國的投資信心。

著名部落客黃泉安（Jeff Ooi）接受《東方日報》的專訪時指出，政府必須對部落格和網站做出區別，而當今部落格與1999年時挺「烈火莫熄」的網風已截然不同。

他說，政府不應將不負責任的部落格和散播錯誤垃圾資訊的部落客混為一談，採取對付行動形同于「一網打盡」。「我們當中有許多部落客是有名望和有代表性，例如拿督卡迪加欣等，我們都採取負責任的態度來發佈言論的。」

他表示，政府若是管制部落格，是一種開倒車的做法，因為全球趨勢都朝向自我管制的方向，而即使是管制，部落客將有「反管制」的途徑來反擊。

「如果一味管制，這只會讓國民墜入愚民時代，與我們要催生智慧型經濟的愿景格格不入，背道而馳。」

黃泉安自2000年始開始其部落格，我手寫我心之餘，每天平均有1萬7525人次的訪客。他強調，大馬的互聯網並非在真空狀態下操作，因為大馬還擁有法規來管制互聯網。

隨著近年來不少部落格或網站已遭有心人濫用訛傳謊言、顛三倒四的溫床；不過，也有一些部落格是有素質的，他們表達了一些民間看法和心聲。

前首相敦馬哈迪抨擊政府的一連串行動，尤其是在部落格和網絡媒體之間廣泛傳開去，以及產生效應。

新聞部長拿督再努丁日前在玻璃市加央說，必須對散播謠言危害公共秩序者發出嚴厲的警告和採取行動。他也說，管制互聯網和網站並不是箝制新聞自由，而是要遏制根據謠言撰寫的新聞。

首相拿督斯里阿都拉昨日首次開腔表示，政府不能讓部落客為所欲為，發出謠言和擾亂民心。

黃泉安說，「部落格應響應政府的呼籲而不要淪落成集體散播謠言，但另一邊廂民間急切地要求在言論背後必須擁有透明度。」

另一方面，大馬時事評論員兼部落客黃永安也反問：「技術上來說你要怎樣監管部落格？部落格是免費開設，即使封堵「網際網路通訊協定」（IP），網友可在其他國家開設。

他認為，當局要抓拿部落客會引起千絲萬縷的後果，更會鼓勵越來越多人匿名登網書寫。

他說，當局要監控部落格就應鑑定哪些具有破壞性，並直接點名道明原因，例如該些鼓吹恐怖主義、暴力等的，就應該封殺。

他認為，近日大馬政壇發生連串事件以致當局產生主導輿論的壓力，前首相敦馬哈迪醫生遭胡椒噴霧劑遇襲事件是催化當局要管制的決心。

另外，《新海峽時報》前任集團總編輯拿督卡迪加欣受詢時不愿評論，僅以一首詩歌在其部落格中表心意，「我有太多的話說，但我不要連纍其他部落客。」

他在詩中作出隱喻式的告白：「我已與當局『合作』太久，我看過太多人民自由和報章自由被威脅… 我看過許多讓我哭泣的事情，我會繼續為我們所愛的國家哭泣。」


Freedom Of Press ?

News drom our neighbour country, "Singapore goverment tries to make five publications censor themseles."

Reporters without borders condemed the Singapore goverment for putting pressure on the "Far Eastern Economic Reviews" and four other foreign publication to censor themselves...(more...)
(Source: reporters without borders)

As the Chinese saying goes " All crows under the Sun are black"?!

Note:Reporters Without Borders ranked Singapore 140th out of 167 countries in its 2005 worldwide press freedom index.