The Federal Government had never harboured the intention of shutting down popular social networking site Facebook in Malaysia, even though there had been thousands of reports of its misuse by Malaysians, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
Shabery clarified that Putrajaya previously stated that it was prepared to study the necessity to shut off access to Facebook in Malaysia, and that the government would ask for feedback from the general public on the matter.
“I have never said about wanting to close Facebook and the government itself has no intention to do so as it is rather impossible with some 15 million Facebook account users in Malaysia,” Shabery told Bernama.
“A lot of people are comfortable using Facebook to do business online, to interact with their family members and for various other purposes. It’s different if we (Malaysia) have been using a model like China had from the beginning, thus disallowing its people to use Facebook.”
He added that it was time for the government to educate the public on how to use the Internet more wisely and courteously, from the primary school level on up.
“We don’t have public education on Internet usage yet. We have received an advanced facility but many people don’t know how to use it correctly, so there have been abuses,” he said.
Malaysians’ fear that Facebook and other such social networks might be blocked in the country dovetails with increasing calls for the Malaysian government to impose greater censorship on the Internet, as championed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Malaysians allegedly posting messages perceived to be offensive to racial and religious sensitivities, as well as insulting to the Malay Rulers, have been tracked down by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the police, to be brought under investigation for sedition.
Yesterday, a 17-year old student in Penang who claims he had accidentally “LIked” a Facebook page called “I love Israel” was investigated for sedition by the Royal Malaysian Police.
See Also:
Malaysian Government studying shutting down Facebook
If we keep Facebook, we could be charged like terrorists for abusing it
A student liked Israel on Facebook, and now his classmates and teachers want to boycott him
Student who Liked Israel on Facebook now under investigation for sedition
