KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is now under threat by those who use the Internet to spew lies, slander and hate, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Unlike other countries, he said Malaysia was not a single-race country, and being a multi-racial and multi-religious nation, the government had to monitor Internet activities and put a check to such unpleasant deeds.
Speaking at the Umno International Forum 2014 titled “Hyperconnectivity and the Social Media: Empowering Citizens to Build or Divide a Nation” here on Monday, Ahmad Zahid said the government had to be strict in stamping out any elements deemed to be disastrous to nation building.
He said each and every Malaysian must observe the law, rules and regulations that prevent them from making any provocative and racist statements as the consequences would be unbearable for everyone to take.
“We have learnt from the 1969 racial riots, and we have also learnt from several incidents involving communal and religious extremists. All these have summoned us to enact stringent laws to control the house from collapsing,” he said.
The minister said in enforcing the laws, the government did not and would not be biased or in simple words, the government would not compromise anything when it came to national security and stability.
Ahmad Zahid, who was one of the speakers at the forum, also stressed how the social networking sites had developed and shifted largely into news feeds and channels of information sharing.
He said a debate had been brewing about freedom of speech or freedom of expression in the context of social media and in open forums.
“I believe all of us, whether in Malaysia or abroad, have been following the developments that have and are taking place in the country.
“All these are the results of speedier Internet interconnectivity and an open access to various news sources,” he said.
He said the news comes in all forms, whether good or bad, pleasant or ugly, as well as the truth or fabricated lies to undermine the government, the country and the people.
The forum, which was held in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly 2014, was officiated by Prime Minister Najib Razak on Monday.
The two-day forum hosted some 127 foreign delegates from 34 political parties from 22 countries and diplomatic corps from almost 70 countries.
- BERNAMA
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