The Internet is supposed to be a place that free speech is allowed and has free flow of information as one of its characteristics. However, some countries have induced laws and regulations on information posted onto the web, especially by bloggers for the past few years. Recently, there has been a buzz on this issue in my beloved country.
I am here to help bloggers to kept themselves away from the authorities. The following will be the list of top crimes by bloggers which I got from Committee To Protect Bloggers that shall done be contained in each of any posts that you’ve made to the blogosphere. This is not a list released by the authorities of Malaysia but this list contains the things that we as a blogger must be aware of.
I know some of us posted things that are contained in this list due to reasons like occasional discomfort or sudden anger on an issue but from now on, I think you are bounded. I don’t like this as well but this is the truth and we must accept it, unless our Prime Minister started a blog himself and starts realising how fun it is to blog and he might be the first in the world!
The following will be the list I’ve promised:
- 1. Distributing state secrets (including passing information to journalists and human rights groups)
2. Insulting the leadership
3. Insulting religion (includes founders and leaders of a religion)
4. Insulting the dignity of the country (includes the “people,” that is, the dominant ethnic majority)
5. Inciting racial hatred
6. Endangering national security (usually by doing one of the first five)
Did I missed out something? Tell me and I’ll add it into the list. These might not be the list for Malaysia. Malaysia has more or less the same I guess… I didn’t write these kind of things before but if I really did in the past, I might have did it in a twist and turn manner and please, DON’T ARREST ME!
We all hate being bounded when we rant but still this is a guideline to keep yourself safe, it’s not that I am against blogging freedom. Together we stand as Malaysian Bloggers!
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September 2nd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
What we fail to see sometimes is that “freedom of speech” may NOT always be the best thing. Moderation is always best
September 3rd, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Yes, but with the Internet coverage is expanding, it will be a hard task. Also, I guess most of us will not want to be “watched over” all the time…
September 3rd, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Who cares about them? Tell you something, if you got arrested, your blog will gain tonnes of traffic, for sure! You’ll get free press release…
September 4th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I don’t want my future to e destroyed by stepping into the jail. f my blog can earn me USD10,000 per month after that, I might be willing!