Energy, Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Tan Chai Ho said that the ministry would be announcing a "code" for website contents next month.

"It is not a law, only a guideline," he told malaysiakini today. "The government will not censor the contents of websites. The point (of the code) is ensure that Internet users are responsible. The government remains committed to upholding the freedom of information on the Internet,".

Tan added that the draft of the code is at its final stage. However, he declined to provide more information on what the code entails.

However, he explained that it contained many clauses, including a code of ethics in which contents of websites should not include "fabricated news".

Tan said that officials from his ministry had a dialogue with Internet services providers and non-government organisations (NGOs) on March 7 to obtain their inputs on the code.

He added that the ministry had already formed a consultative committee, made up of ministry officials, Internet services providers and NGOs to assist in the drawing the code. But when pressed further, Tan was reluctant to reveal the Internet service providers and NGOs who are members of the committee.

"Most of the participants in the committee had agreed on the code," he said.

Last month, Tan was reported in Nanyang Siang Pau that under the 1998 Communications and Multimedia Act, Section 233, the circulation of "wild allegations" can be prosecuted and an offender can be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to one year, or both.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin told the Parliament today that newpapers are here to stay even if current technology enables Malaysians to have greater access to cybernews.

"If there is basis to claims that the days of newspapers are numbered, why are there greater demand than ever to publish news for readers interest?," he asked when replying to a supplementary question from DAP MP Tan Seng Giaw during question time.

Asked about why the mainstream newspapers do not give much coverage on the opposition, Zainal Abidin said that the government could not tell the newspapers on what they should report.

"The Home Ministry cannot force journalists to report about the opposition parties in local and foreign newspapers," he said.