Local Internet news organisations have told traditional print media to back off from their idea of asking the government to regulate the Internet media under a restrictive press law. Instead, the mainstream media is urged to strive for greater press freedom.

"When the government set up the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), it guaranteed there would be no Internet censorship. We should stick to this [...] why out of sudden there is a problem?" asked online daily AgendaDaily.com editor-in-chief Rosli Ismail when contacted today.

"It is not a wise move to revoke this (guarantee) just because of the current political situation. If the government starts clamping down on Internet newspapers, it will not look nice on Pak Lah (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and his administration," said the head of the now five-year old website.

Rosli was referring to the ongoing spat between Abdullah and his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the ex-premier fired a volley of scathing criticisms against Abdullah. Most of the traditional print media have downplayed Mahathir's criticisms.

Rosli pointed out the major Internet news organisations in the country at present did not operate anonymously, compared to the many that were set up during the height of the 'reformasi' movement in 1998 and were critical of the government.

"We operate as professionally as the mainstream media," Rosli pointed out.

No censorship vow

Deputy Internal Security Minister Fu Ah Kiow was quoted in mainstream media reports today as saying the mainstream media had complained of 'double standards' and the uneven playing field involving the traditional and Internet media.

Fu said in view of this, the government would study amending the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) to include the Internet and electronic media under the act.

The Internet media is not bound by the restrictive PPPA and are thus exempt for the mandatory annual licensing provision which the government uses to ensure media toes the line. However, online newspapers still face action under various other acts that impinge on press freedom such as the Sedition Act, the Defamation Act and the Internal Security Act.

Commenting on this, independent news website malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan said the honeymoon of Abdullah's three-year-old government is over.

"It's ironic that Abdullah wants to control cyberspace when his iron-fisted predecessor had, time and again, vowed that there would be no censorship of the Internet."

Gan said that former prime minister Mahathir had largely kept his word although malaysiakini was raided by the police three years ago over a purportedly seditious letter. The police later concluded there was no case against the website.

"If the mainstream media is worried about not being able to compete with the Internet on a level playing field, then we should be demanding the government to do away with the restrictive press laws," he said.

"Seeking to level the playing field by muzzling news websites and blogs is truly a step backward."

Gan added that malaysiakini - which was set up in 1999 and has won several international awards - is working with press freedom groups to campaign for the removal of the many laws which have kept the mainstream media in check.

Be courageous

Fledgling Mandarin online newspaper MerdekaReview editor-in-chief Chang Teck Peng described the government's intention of controlling the nation's Internet media as "not surprising" and that the plan was politically motivated.

"The government can suppress Mahathir's views through its control over the traditional media but Mahathir has since turned to the Internet media to air his views," said the editor of the one-year-old web paper.

He said the increasing popularity of the Internet media has challenged the credibility of the mainstream English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin newspapers.

"Many issues were revealed by the Internet media first such as those involving action against China Press, the AiFM controversy, the ethnic relations textbook. Only after that did the traditional media follow up," he said.

"Traditional media must be courageous enough to challenge the government's suppression of them and not ask the government to also suppress the Internet media in the name of 'fairness'," Chang argued.

In light of Fu's announcement, there is also speculation that bloggers will also be incorporated under regulations to muzzle Internet media.

Not effective

Blogger Jeff Ooi, who runs popular Screenshots, advised bloggers to 'put up a public face' by displaying a valid e-mail address on their respective blogs as a way of showing responsibility.

He described the proposed move to curtail Internet media as regressive one and that will be against the global trend which most countries have adopted in allowing both print and Internet media to self-regulate.

"The traditional media have not been effective in shaping opinions and this pushed readers to look for more balanced and intellectual views," Ooi (pix) added when asked on the growing popularity of Internet newspapers and blogs.

Former senior journalist Ahirudin Attan, who runs another popular blog Rocky's Bru, described the proposed move as 'ill-advised' noting that it was inconsistent with the 'freedom with responsibility' theme Abdullah has been promoting,.

Describing the plan as one that will take the government a few steps backwards, he said: "Even though several Internet newspapers were very critical of the (Mahathir's) government back then, his government did not go back on its promise (to not censor the Internet).