MALAYSIA has signalled its intention to introduce Internet controls similar to those in Singapore to curb material that might 'undermine public morals, political stability and religious harmony'. Last week the Government appeared to be taking a more moderate approach than Singapore when Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said censoring the Internet was 'not the solution' to the problems it was generating. But now the Information Minister, Mohamed Rahmat, has announced that a regulatory body will be set up to monitor Internet use in Malaysia. He said people making libellous and disparaging remarks about Malaysia on the Internet would be penalised under new regulations under review. 'We are aware that some people are using their home pages to discredit the country,' he said. While the Government had its own home pages to counter allegations, it needed to review laws and introduce new provisions against offenders, he said. 'When the new regulations are introduced, those found to have acted against the country through lies and libellous statements will face the music.' Mr Rahmat was responding to reports about an electronic bulletin board, 'soc.culture.malaysia', which a newspaper report described as a 'free-for-all debate, where rumours, racist remarks and uncensored statements are expressed on all things Malaysian, especially politics'. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the opposition Democratic Action Party both have home pages. The Malaysian Chinese Association, the second largest government party after Dr Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation, is setting up a home page 'to counter the Democratic Action Party'. The party's vice-chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the Internet was a good medium for the party. 'Censorship is near impossible,' he said.
