Bloggers warned of price to pay

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government's policy from the start has been not to intervene in the use of the Internet by people, including bloggers, who are free to use cyberspace to do "proper things", said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

However, the Umno vice-president said that if irresponsible bloggers go overboard in their Internet postings, the Government would be forced to step in.

"If they go overboard and insult, slander and break the laws, they will not get away scot-free. No one is above the law.

"Whether in the alam maya (cyberworld) or the alam nyata (physical world), people cannot simply write whatever they want, especially if it touches on religion, culture, the Rulers' position or the Constitution. These will be monitored," he said.

The opposition parties were also free to set up their own websites and blogs, but the same rule applied to them, he added.

"We are a democratic country but it does not mean that anyone can do whatever they want, including break the laws.

"For postings that insult (religion and the King), there are laws that can be used against the culprits," said Muhyiddin, who is also Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister, after launching the four-day Malaysia International Machinery Fair 2007 at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

On another matter, he said the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority would begin a pilot project with the setting-up of two design and packaging centres in Sik, Kedah, and Pagoh, Perak.

The centres would act as a common facility for small- and medium-scale operators who could not afford to buy their own machines.

They could use the machines there to package their products as well as place barcodes and brand names on their products, he said.

"A minimal fee will be imposed. They can also get advice on how to repackage their products and even purchase machines," he said.

Muhyiddin said many small- and medium-scale operators, including those who sold kerepek (crackers), had no capital to buy machines, which could greatly help them package their products, as well as expand their business.

"So, they have to stick to the old method, which is tedious and inefficient," he said, adding that more centres would be set up around the country to benefit those in the rural areas.

Source: TheStar