Zahid: Malaysia under threat from Internet users

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is under threat by those who use the Internet to spew lies, slander and hate, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Monday. 

Being a multi-racial and multi-religious nation, he said the Government had to monitor Internet activities.      

Speaking at the Umno International Forum 2014 titled Hyperconnectivity and the Social Media: Empowering Citizens to Build or Divide a Nation here, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the Government had to be strict in stamping out any elements deemed to be disastrous to nation building. 

He said, each and every Malaysian must observe the law, rules and regulations that bound them from making any provocative and racist statements. 

"We have learnt from the 1969 racial riot, and we have also learnt from several incidents involving communal and religious extremists. All these have forced us to enact stringent laws to control the ‘house’ from collapsing," he said. 

The Minister said in enforcing the laws, the Government would not be biased, and would not compromise when it came to national security and stability. 

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is one of the speakers at the forum, also stressed on how the social networking sites had developed and shifted largely into news feeds and channels of information sharing. 

He said a debate had been brewing about freedom of speech or freedom of expression in the context of social media and in open forums. 

"I believe all of us, whether in Malaysia or abroad, have been following the developments that have and are taking place in the country. 

"All these are the results of speedier Internet interconnectivity and an open access to various news sources," Dr Ahmad Zahid said. 

He said the news comes in all forms, whether good or bad, pleasant or ugly, as well as the truth or lies to undermine the Government, the country and the people.

The forum, which was held in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly 2014, was launched earlier by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday. - Bernama