Wednesday August 23, 2006

Bloggers expected to use discretion with information

THERE are no laws to regulate Web loggers (bloggers) in the country but bloggers should have some self-censorship, says Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor.

He said that under the Multimedia Super Corridor Bill of Guarantees and the Communications and Multimedia Act there was no Internet censorship.

“However, there are some quarters who make use of the Internet, especially bloggers, to cause the downfall of some other quarters and this happens everywhere in the world, not only in our country,” Shaziman said while answering a supplementary question by Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP – Kepong).

“It is difficult for the Government if we were to regulate Internet users because they can easily register in other countries.

Shaziman said it was up to bloggers to use their own discretion when disseminating information on the Internet.

“We cannot control them. If in the old days we used to have Wild Wild West, now we have Wild Wild Web.

“Wild Wild Web are bloggers who hide and shoot but are afraid to come out in the open for confrontation,” he said.

“If they are truly gentlemen and responsible (for what they blogged), they should show themselves.”

Earlier when answering Chong Eng (DAP – Bukit Mertajam), Shaziman told the House that the Government did not plan to tighten the rules and regulations for TV news.

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