PM: Bloggers may be asked to state identity

(fz.com) - The government will study a proposal for all bloggers and portal owners to identify themselves on their sites, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.

This was to ensure that bloggers can be held accountable for their writings and to prevent the spreading of lies that could destroy the unity in the country.

The recommendation is part of a proposal for self-regulation among media practitioners to foster greater responsibility and to prevent the social media from being continuously abused.

"There will no longer be 'anonymous' writers in the social media, blogs or portals as there are now," he said. Earlier, Najib said that lies were found to be widespread in the social media especially during the 13th general election, and if left unchecked, this would be detrimental to the country's future.

He was speaking at the Malaysian Press Institute - Petronas media awards here tonight. Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Communication and Multimedia minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Najib said that the relevant authorities will take action against those who fail to identify themselves.

Even though the Internet was not censored under the Communication and Multimedia Act, Najib said that self-regulatory measures would ensure that stern action would be taken against bloggers and portal owners who spread inaccurate information and slander.

"The government would not implement a licensing system for news portals as a neighbouring country has, but to ensure harmony is maintained,  we will strengthen existing laws  to ensure quarters that play the race, religious and language card  to create divisions in society, mock the monarchy or try to subvert the parliamentary democracy will have action taken against them," he said.

Singapore has recently announced new rules governing websites that are seen as curtailing freedom of expression. Under the new rules, websites with at least 50,000 unique visitors from Singapore every month that publish at least one local news article per week over a period of two months must obtain an annual licence.

Earlier, Najib said the 'rakyat' was trying to grasp the notion of democracy and free speech, which the country has never been experienced before and has led to a butterfly effect.

The demand for free speech, he said, was not just due to globalisation but greater access to the Internet and an increase in the socio-economic status as well as a higher education level.

Najib also said that it was not wrong for people to have different views, although there was no need for such views to lead to extreme suspicion, which was alien to the country's culture.

"The varied and differing  views must have roots in the Malaysian identity," he said.