The governments plan to expand the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 to include Internet-based news publications is worrying. Should this amendment be passed, online news sites like malaysiakini may require a permit to operate and hence be subject to the type of control that the mainstream media face under the ruling party.

The announcement comes just as malaysiakini is about to launch a subscription-based service to expand its current operations. But one wonders if it is ever possible to censor online news sites.

This is a very sickening development for Malaysians who desire an alternative and well-balanced news source. Nanyang Siang Pau, China Press and The Sun have been gagged. Opposition organs like Harakah have their publication and distribution severely clipped.

Reading the other papers have become increasingly dreary as we are fed propaganda and comments from this and that minister and official passed off as news. Intellectual discourse and uncritical opinions further erode the quality of these so-called newspapers.

As the Malaysian government seeks to promote the mega Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project, it makes sense to promote successful online news sites like yours to regain investor confidence. Instead, the government has done exactly the opposite. Small wonder the MSC is fittingly described by the Malay proverb, hidup segan, mati tak mahu (neither dead nor alive).

As an avid malaysiakini reader, I support your move to a subscription-based news service. It would be interesting to see how the government propose to implement the amendments and ensure support for the MSC at the same time.