From Malaysiakini…
Umno has filed a police report against political website Malaysia Today for allegedly publishing disparaging remarks against the King and Islam.
From Thestar…
Umno has lodged a police report against MalaysiaToday for carrying a series of comments and remarks that it deemed as insulting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, degrading Islam and as inciting hatred and violence in Malaysia’s multi-racial society.
Party information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib lodged the report at 12.57pm at Tun H.S. Lee police station here Monday. He said the comments and remarks, consisting of criminal elements and inciting religious and racial sentiments which could affect the country’s security, were carried by the blog on July 11.
The report was lodged under Section 121 (B) and Section 123 of the Penal Code, Section 4 of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 263 and Section 266 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
First Nat Tan, now Raja Petra (webmaster of Malaysia Today)… the battle has just begun.
I am not a fan of absolute freedom of speech; I believe that bloggers (or whoever) have to take responsibilities on their articles… but the recent situation really irritates me, as it indicates that we have to be responsible for the comments posted on our blogs as well, and that is ridiculous.
It’s like asking the Prime Minister to be responsible for every wrong-doings of his UMNO members, parents to be responsible for their kids’ crime, and perhaps asking the king to be responsible for all their citizens’ improper acts… doesn’t make sense at all ain’t so?
Some thoughts from other bloggers…
Screenshots: Something brewing, RPK?
Lim Kit Siang: Axe coming down in Malaysian cyberspace
Susan Loone: Next victim: Malaysia-Today
Rauff: UMNO should take a more pro-active role in defeating scepticalism
Walski: Police report filed against Malaysia Today
Sagaladoola: Malaysia Today, What is 50th Merdeka?
Update July 25 - Raja Petra Kamarudin has been called to the Dang Wangi district police station in Jalan Tun HS Lee this morning regarding the police report filed by Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib. [Malaysiakini]
Yes, the war is on. They are definitely after bloggers since elections is looming near.
If their intent is to take down influential blogs so that nobody would bad-mouth them during election, they are making a stupid move.
Supporters of Malaysia Today or other alternative news sources are likely to vote against BN regardless… and Taib’s act has probably reaffirm those people about their decisions.
Investigate Malaysia Today Allegations On Muhammad Muhammad Taib Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/MdMdTaib/petition.html
Benji… do you think Malaysia government and authorities would care about some online petition?
Besides, I doubt that Petitiononline.com has ever produced useful results regarding any serious matters.
Those online petitions never work.
You need to do it the old fashion way to get some hint of a result.
…and thank you for the link back.
[...] a controversial police report by Mat Taib against Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) on July 23, it seems like the government has up [...]
[...] article: UMNO trying to take down ‘Malaysia Today’ August 7, 2007 | Tags Marina Lee, Ronnie Liu, Raja Petra [...]
Are there no depths to which the Mlaysian Government and its police will not sink? As a former resident and even a citizen of the country at one time I am apalled at the treatment of Anwar Ibrahim. To charge him with sodomy (for the second time) on the say-so of some stooge is ridiculous. That this same idiot is prepared to swear on the Koran that the sodomy occurred and that the swearing alone will be sufficient ‘proof’ of it is equally ridiculous. What’s happened to justice? I was told once that a racial characteristic of the Malays is that they could be vindictive and vicious when they believed they have been crossed. I believe it now. In truth, the people resonsible for mistreating this civilised and upright man, ought to be buggered good and proper … preferably with an ungreased pole of at least 8 inches in diameter. That would be justice!