Proposed Internet filter prompts criticism
KUALA LUMPUR: The information minister said today a proposed Internet filter similar to China's "Green Dam" software" was aimed at stopping pornography.
Critics say, however, it could also be used to clamp down on the opposition and may hurt investment.
With a quiescent mainstream media, largely owned by the political parties that have ruled Malaysia the past 51 years, the government has been challenged by a vibrant new media culture.
Here are some questions and answers about Malaysia's plans for Internet censorship and what could happen next:
The government says the Internet filter will protect Malaysians from pornography.
That is just an excuse, critics say, to police websites publishing damaging stories about the government. These range from investigations of corruption, scandals involving government officials, to a clip of prominent lawyer arranging judicial appointments that appeared on YouTube.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is often a target of attacks on the Internet. He is still linked by opposition websites to the murder of a Mongolian model, although he denies the allegation, which has not been proven.
Censoring websites could help staunch the flow of criticism for a premier who is still fighting to revive his ruling coalition that slumped to its worst ever results in national and state elections last year.
Despite a rise in Najib's approval ratings recently to 65 per cent from 45 per cent, his Barisan Nasional coalition remains vulnerable. The government has been beaten in six out of seven by-elections since the 2008 election.
WILL IT BE AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL?
It could work. Tender documents specify a filter at the Internet gateway level, meaning service providers such as Telekom Malaysia, Redtone, Green Packet and Axiata will have to impose the blocks.
That will be more effective than "Green Dam", which aimed to force manufacturers to bundle Internet filtering software with sales of new personal computers.
Malaysian web surfers could get around blocks at gateways by using proxy servers that mask a user's identity from Internet service providers. But it's an endless game of pursuit as the authorities can also block websites providing free proxies.
WHEN COULD THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENT THIS?
Very soon. An industry source says the government could impose the filters late this year or in 2010, coinciding with the rollout of a high-speed broadband network run by Telekom Malaysia.
Malaysia aims to increase broadband penetration to half of all homes by 2010 as part of its drive to boost economic efficiency. This compares with neighbouring Singapore's rate of 78 per cent and Hong Kong's 80 per cent.
WILL THIS HURT NAJIB'S ECONOMIC REFORMS?
Najib has introduced a raft of reforms, including the removal of some economic privileges for dominant ethnic Malays, to lure investments and shore up an export-reliant economy likely to post negative growth this year.
News of the filter may scare away investors. For example Google announced last year it was considering a proposal to set up the world's largest server farm in Malaysia's version of the Silicon Valley, the "Multimedia Super Corridor" (MSC).
A government initiative, MSC was started in 1996 promising tax breaks and no restrictions on the Internet. Firms already there include Mircosoft. Annual investment into the corridor is US$458 million (RM1,600 million), according to industry data.
Malaysia is already struggling to provide skilled workers for a "knowledge economy" and Najib wants to increase the services sector to 60 per cent of output. Measures to implement teaching of maths and science in Malay instead of English may drag on efforts to draw in foreign direct investment (FDI).
FDI between January and May was just 9 per cent of 2008's total of RM46.1 billion.
Another time-consuming political fight would also tie down Najib and could lead to a clampdown that might damage investor confidence. Malaysia has seen portfolio money flowing out of its markets and has underperformed the region.
AND NAJIB'S POLITICAL PROSPECTS?
The opposition may use the issue to show a crackdown is in the works. That could add numbers to any protests around the ongoing trial for sodomy of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The government's reputation has also been stained by the recent death of an aide to an opposition lawmaker after being questioned by a state body.
The government is fighting back in cyberspace. Najib has a website called 1 Malaysia (www.imalaysia.com.my). In the past, the government has looked at proposals to register all bloggers.
Analysts say filtering websites shows Najib's government is fearful of the Internet culture that emerged in 1998 after Anwar, a deputy prime minister then, was sacked and charged with corruption and sodomy and then jailed.
The opposition, which had no access to mainstream media, harnessed the Internet during the 2008 elections, making frequent and effective use of blogs, websites and services like Twitter.
KUALA LUMPUR: The information minister said today a proposed Internet filter similar to China's "Green Dam" software" was aimed at stopping pornography.
Critics say, however, it could also be used to clamp down on the opposition and may hurt investment.
With a quiescent mainstream media, largely owned by the political parties that have ruled Malaysia the past 51 years, the government has been challenged by a vibrant new media culture.
Here are some questions and answers about Malaysia's plans for Internet censorship and what could happen next:
The government says the Internet filter will protect Malaysians from pornography.
That is just an excuse, critics say, to police websites publishing damaging stories about the government. These range from investigations of corruption, scandals involving government officials, to a clip of prominent lawyer arranging judicial appointments that appeared on YouTube.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is often a target of attacks on the Internet. He is still linked by opposition websites to the murder of a Mongolian model, although he denies the allegation, which has not been proven.
Censoring websites could help staunch the flow of criticism for a premier who is still fighting to revive his ruling coalition that slumped to its worst ever results in national and state elections last year.
Despite a rise in Najib's approval ratings recently to 65 per cent from 45 per cent, his Barisan Nasional coalition remains vulnerable. The government has been beaten in six out of seven by-elections since the 2008 election.
WILL IT BE AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL?
It could work. Tender documents specify a filter at the Internet gateway level, meaning service providers such as Telekom Malaysia, Redtone, Green Packet and Axiata will have to impose the blocks.
That will be more effective than "Green Dam", which aimed to force manufacturers to bundle Internet filtering software with sales of new personal computers.
Malaysian web surfers could get around blocks at gateways by using proxy servers that mask a user's identity from Internet service providers. But it's an endless game of pursuit as the authorities can also block websites providing free proxies.
WHEN COULD THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENT THIS?
Very soon. An industry source says the government could impose the filters late this year or in 2010, coinciding with the rollout of a high-speed broadband network run by Telekom Malaysia.
Malaysia aims to increase broadband penetration to half of all homes by 2010 as part of its drive to boost economic efficiency. This compares with neighbouring Singapore's rate of 78 per cent and Hong Kong's 80 per cent.
WILL THIS HURT NAJIB'S ECONOMIC REFORMS?
Najib has introduced a raft of reforms, including the removal of some economic privileges for dominant ethnic Malays, to lure investments and shore up an export-reliant economy likely to post negative growth this year.
News of the filter may scare away investors. For example Google announced last year it was considering a proposal to set up the world's largest server farm in Malaysia's version of the Silicon Valley, the "Multimedia Super Corridor" (MSC).
A government initiative, MSC was started in 1996 promising tax breaks and no restrictions on the Internet. Firms already there include Mircosoft. Annual investment into the corridor is US$458 million (RM1,600 million), according to industry data.
Malaysia is already struggling to provide skilled workers for a "knowledge economy" and Najib wants to increase the services sector to 60 per cent of output. Measures to implement teaching of maths and science in Malay instead of English may drag on efforts to draw in foreign direct investment (FDI).
FDI between January and May was just 9 per cent of 2008's total of RM46.1 billion.
Another time-consuming political fight would also tie down Najib and could lead to a clampdown that might damage investor confidence. Malaysia has seen portfolio money flowing out of its markets and has underperformed the region.
AND NAJIB'S POLITICAL PROSPECTS?
The opposition may use the issue to show a crackdown is in the works. That could add numbers to any protests around the ongoing trial for sodomy of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The government's reputation has also been stained by the recent death of an aide to an opposition lawmaker after being questioned by a state body.
The government is fighting back in cyberspace. Najib has a website called 1 Malaysia (www.imalaysia.com.my). In the past, the government has looked at proposals to register all bloggers.
Analysts say filtering websites shows Najib's government is fearful of the Internet culture that emerged in 1998 after Anwar, a deputy prime minister then, was sacked and charged with corruption and sodomy and then jailed.
The opposition, which had no access to mainstream media, harnessed the Internet during the 2008 elections, making frequent and effective use of blogs, websites and services like Twitter.
07/08/09
mi1: How about porn CD's easily available - Chow Kit, Petaling Street and at many places in KL
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