The Malaysian government has made it compulsory for Internet cafes and schools to install anti-pornography software. Also, the government may make it compulsory or optional (still yet undecided) for private homes to subscribe to anti-pornography filtering services provided by ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
While I do not support pornographic, hate, racist or abusive websites, the idea of Internet censorship is abhorrent. Legitimate Internet censorship provides a backdoor entry to ban dissent or alternative viewpoints.
First they say: ‘Let's ban pornography because its bad’. Then it will be, ‘Let's ban political websites because they’re bad too" and so on and so forth. Very soon, nothing adult is left on the Internet and society becomes repressive and backward.
As a Muslim, I would question why pornography is disallowed. In Islam, the sin relating to sex is called ‘zina’ (adultery) and is punishable by 100 lashes. Strangely, however ‘zina’ (adultery) is not a crime in Malaysia. But ‘khalwat’ (close proximity) and possession of pornographic material are.
What does this mean - don't watch it, just do it? Once again absurdity rears its ugly head amongst decadent and small-minded third world leaders who attempt to sidetrack the nation's attention from the real problems they are facing - poverty, jobless graduates, rising crime and drug abuse.
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