I wonder how many Malaysians have heard the Cinta IT (Love IT) song that is broadcasted quite frequently on the state-controlled, Barisan Nasional-exclusive television and radio channels.

However, seeing the people milling around the Multimedia Super Corridor and the ubiquitous VCD stalls in our country, I am not sure if our society is really getting more high-tech. But it is pretty obvious that our government is implementing cool stuff like chip (not cheap though) passports and digital identity cards that can store a lot of information, including cash value!

We are ahead of the pack because even the technologically-advanced Americans are not doing that. Should we be proud then? Then again, I wonder who has been appointed the sole distributor of those chips and smartcards or who have been awarded to implement these projects.

I highlight our use of technology to draw attention to how it can also be abused  in this case by Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya or the PJ Town Council.

PJ residents are fighting an uphill battle against the council which recently tried to bulldoze their way through to implement the draft plan for the redevelopment of section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 52, SS1, SS2, SS9A and Kg Tunku.

For such a daunting plan, the residents have only a month to comment on the plan. But not to worry because MPPJ has gone high-tech! It has a website for you to vote whether you are for or against the plan at PJ plan poll . And you can submit comments on the plan as well!

It is all very convenient and so considerate of MPPJ as people are so busy today that some do not even have the time to talk and are resolved to sending SMS across the table to each other.

But this is not the part that makes you fall on your feet. Try writing a comment on the website criticising the PJ1 Local Plan draft. I can assure that your negative comment will be deleted or heavily edited within a day or two. Try it yourself and see what I mean. This is not a hoax. My friends have had their comments spiked. The leftovers are all those Syabas, MPPJ (Well done, MPPJ) stuff.

And to think that the government promised not to censor the Internet. Huh!