Tuesday September 20, 2005
Tough stand on racial remarks
PETALING JAYA: No racial remarks please, we're Malaysians.
But anyone who insists on making them, through publications or websites, be prepared to face the law.
“We will not tolerate messages that can cause disharmony in the country.
“Stern action will be taken against those who try to create hostility in the country,” said Deputy Internal Security Minister Chia Kwang Chye.
He said existing laws such as the Sedition Act and Multimedia and Communication Act would be used against those who post such remarks on the Internet.
Chia was commenting on the case of three young Singaporeans charged under the Sedition Act with posting inflammatory racial remarks online in Singapore recently.
Deputy Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said his ministry would report to the authority of anyone making racial remarks.
“We are monitoring the Internet and if we find any report which will threaten racial harmony, we will report it to the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry,” he said.
Zainuddin said the Government would not allow any racial remarks made in any form such as speeches, publications or the Internet.
Local websites have generally toed the racial harmony line with the use of self-censorship before the messages get to the public.
In 2003, however, the Malaysiakini office was raided by police investigating an alleged seditious letter posted on the news website following a report lodged by Umno Youth.
News Poll
- Teacher held for oral sex on Year Two girl
- Lau sought psychiatrist’s help after death of fan’s dad
- Police shoot dead leader of ‘Berong Gang’
- Australian court sentences Malaysian who posed as taxi driver
- Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy (Update)
- Foreign woman falls to death at high-end condo
- Prime Minister comes up with plan to end crisis in MCA
- 15-year-old held for trying to kill mum with acid-laced sarong
- Indonesia seizes 75tons of explosive material from M’sia
- Fresh polls in six to eight months if new mechanism used
- Australian court sentences Malaysian who posed as taxi driver
- Teacher held for oral sex on Year Two girl
- 10 states see increase in number of dengue cases
- AirAsia launches new flights to three Indian cities
- Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy (Update)
- Lau sought psychiatrist’s help after death of fan’s dad
- Prime Minister comes up with plan to end crisis in MCA
- Take care of yourself first
- Police shoot dead leader of ‘Berong Gang’
- 15-year-old held for trying to kill mum with acid-laced sarong
RSS
