Two bloggers turned Pakatan Rakyat politicians have called on the “Internet generation” to resist attempts by the government to extend the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984 to cover “online publications”.

NONE The DAP's MP for Klang Charles Santiago ( left ) and Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong (PKR) argue that if the proposed PPPA amendments go through, the last space for open discussions will be lost.

“Make no mistake about it. Despite that the spin the federal government is trying to cover ‘loopholes’ in the PPPA, the fact is that it wants to exercise control over what Malaysians do online, be it blogs, Facebook or Twitter ,” said Wong.

Echoing Wong, Santiago said  netizens should be mindful that the spread of the digital technology has been the main driver for the democratisation of information in Malaysia.

“More importantly, it has enabled the ordinary citizens to exercise their democratic right to speak and express themselves freely, as evident in the amount of online interaction in contemporary Malaysia,” he said.

Both politicians added that any inclusion of online content under the PPPA, which has affected the freedom of print media by the requirement for annual renewal of publishing permits, went against the government’s promise to not tinker with the Internet.

Yesterday, however, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the government was willing to renege on this guarantee for the sake of national security.

Government hostility

NONE According to Wong ( right ), who was an active blogger before entering politics, the government’s decision to even consider introducing such amendments to the PPPA was proof of its increasingly hostile position where the Internet was concerned.

In fact, she added, the announcement showed that the government did not learn its lesson from public protests over its intention last year to introduce an Internet filter.

“The rising number of cases of Internet users being charged for their online activity is further proof of an administration that is hostile to any media it does not control.

“It is embarrassingly obvious that the purpose of this move is to silence Malaysians concerned on the mismanagement of the country by the BN, just in time for the expected general election,” Wong said.

Added Santiago, "Such amendments to the PPPA will mean the death knell for alternative and critical reporting by online news portals and influential blogs.

“This way, the BN media will continue to dominate and control the minds of Malaysians and build consensus.”

Damage control?

On Twitter today, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein tried to assuage fears of censorship among netizens, saying that the “PPPA amendment is only at discussion stage and it is premature to comment”.

NONE On Tuesday, Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam ( left ) told Bernama that the government proposed to include online publications under the PPPA and expected to table this in Parliament during the March sitting.

Mahmood said the amendments would address “ weaknesses ” in the PPPA in dealing with online content and keep it in line with the development of the latest technology.

He claimed the amendments were not an attempt to further muzzle the press, but to ensure that the PPPA became more “inclusive”.

The deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law and parliamentary affairs, Liew Vui Keong, said this morning he was unaware of any amendments to the PPPA be tabled in March.