The country’s federal watchdog on all things online has decreed that it is blocking websites which feature information on the upcoming #BERSIH4 mass gathering, set to take place this weekend.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in a post to its official Facebook page today said that it would block any and all sites that “disrupt national stability”, singling out those that offer information on the #BERSIH4 rally in particular:
The MCMC based its decision on an earlier statement issued by the Home Ministry, which labelled #BERSIH4 as being detrimental to national security and social unity, an agent of propaganda aimed at fostering negative perceptions on the Federal Government, and a source of bad press for the country’s image.
The MCMC also urged members of the online public to be careful in spreading messages on their own sites and social media circles that could be construed as supporting and corroborating propaganda against the Government.
The #BERSIH4 rally, scheduled to take place from 2pm on August 29 until 11:59pm on August 30, is beig organised by electoral reform movement Bersih 2.0, and will take place in KL’s Dataran Merdeka, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, and 50 other cities across the world.
