Putrajaya breaking promise not to censor Internet, says lawyers’ group

LFL executive director Eric Paulsen has slammed MCMC's move to censor two sites critical of the current administration. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 28, 2016.A lawyers' group said Putrajaya's move to block websites and blogs critical of the government was undemocratic, a grave abuse of power and in breach of its “no-Internet-censorship” policy.

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director Eric Paulsen said the government had no valid reasons to censor the sites other than to stem the flow of critical news and information.

"We views with extreme concern the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) heavy handed and liberal use of its powers to block numerous websites and blogs critical of the government, especially on issues concerning 1MDB, corruption and Prime Minister Najib Razak," he said in a statement today.

Access to two blogs, Tabunginsider and OutSyed The Box, has been blocked for most Internet users after both sites carried reports about Bank Negara Malaysia's warning letter to Lembaga Tabung Haji about the fund's depleted reserve levels.

When accessed, the blogs go to a page with the notice: "This website is not available in Malaysia as it violate(s) the national law(s)".

"There are no good and valid reasons for blocking these websites and blogs other than a desperate attempt to stem the flow of critical news and information," Paulsen said.

He said the government's policy against censoring the Internet was protected under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and MSC Malaysia’s Bill of Guarantees.

Censorship attempts were futile and ineffective as their exposés would continue to be reported by other press, blogs and disseminated on social media, he added.

"It is also counterproductive as these attempts to silence will themselves become news and bring into sharp focus the exposés the authorities were trying to block in the first place."

Paulsen said LFL also noted with extreme concern that such crude tactics happened on The Edge, The Malaysian Insider, Malaysiakini and other independent press.

Sarawak Report’s website was blocked in July 2015 and since then Malaysia Chronicle, regional news website Asia Sentinel, online publication platform Medium, and most recently jinggo-fotopages and Din Turtle.

Paulsen said the authorities should come to terms with the reality of the Internet and social media rather than resorting to penal laws or harsh enforcement methods that were inconsistent with modern democratic demands.

"We call upon the MCMC to immediately revoke all blocking orders against such critical websites and blogs." – January 28, 2016.