PKR will consider writing to Microsoft founder Bill Gates and send a petition to Fortune 500 companies if Putrajaya seeks to amend the law to impose local Internet censorship.

"PKR opposes any effort to stifle the freedom of the press. We will not hesitate to take action if the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) moves to amend cyber laws," said Sim Tze Tzin, PKR's strategic director.

"We will write to the Multimedia Super Corridor Advisory Panel, including Bill Gates, who is also its former advisor," said Sim who is also Bayan Baru parliamentarian.

The Multimedia Super Corridor's Bill of Guarantees, drawn up by its advisory panel after it was launched in 1996, stipulates that there will be no censorship of the Internet in Malaysia.

Sim was responding to government's recent blocking of whistelesblower webiste Sarawak Report , the suspension of two newspapers published by the Edge Media Group, and the proposal to  impose registration for online news portals.

At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, Sim said if Putrajaya went ahead with its plans to stifle the freedom of speech online, PKR will also mull sending a petition to Fortune 500 companies.

Elaborating further, he said the party will send the petition to the companies, besides briefing them on how they are going to be affected by amendments to Malaysian cyberlaws.

"We want these international corporate leaders to give feedback (to Putrajaya) in order to safeguard their business interests," he said.

Chilling effect on news portals

Sim said the announcement by the newly-minted Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak ( photo ) on the proposal to impose registration may have a chilling effect on news portals and threaten our economy.

This is especially so when Putrajaya's commitment to no internet censorship has attracted billions of investment into the country, he said.

"We attracted RM20.09 billion of new investment in 2014 in e-commerce. The growth in internet was 11 percent last year, higher than the four percent growth in the country's economy," he said.

"The minister is very gung ho (enthusiastic) in curbing internet freedom but he must know that Malaysia is an open economy," he said.

He also urged Salleh to spell out the government's exact plan to control online news portal.  

Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil urged the government to engage stakeholders, which include the opposition and Bar Council, in matters relating to cyber law amendments.

"I don't think the increased censorship would encourage Malaysians to stay in the country.

"This would send a wrong message to the young people who are studying abroad. They may not want to come back. They rely on free internet culture. We will lose our human capital," he said.

"I don't know whether the minister know the vagueness of his statement and also the repercussion on young Malaysians, who will be affected mostly by any change in the internet culture," he said.

Establish a media council

Fahmi also disagreed with Salleh on the proposal to adopt the Singapore model, where news portals with more than 50,000 unique visitors a month must obtain an annual licence from the Media Development Authority.

 

"Malaysia is ranked 147th in the 2015 World Press Freedom Index, so why should we emulate Singapore, which is six steps below us?" he asked.

Alternatively, Fahmi ( photo ) said the government can consider establishing a media council to enable media practitioners to self-regulate.

The government first proposed a media council in 2002 but was rejected by media practitioners, describing it as an additional mechanism of control.

They had demanded that the restrictive printing and broadcasting laws be repealed first before the council can be set up.

The idea was revived in July 2011, where the ministry called representatives from mainstream media organisation for a meeting .

However, it was reported that news portals would not be included in the media consultative council.

Related reports

Muhyiddin: Donor told PM to put RM2.6b in his account

Court decision brings out clarion call for Bersih 4.0

PKR to lobby Gates, Fortune 500 if local web censored

'No one left to determine Najib's guilt'

This is Malaiseya

Donations? Why netizens are not impressed

The look and feel of a mafia nation

NGO: Stop harassing media over 1MDB reports

The straw that broke the MACC’s back

Perkasa: Reveal ‘hidden hands’ behind MACC raids

MACC director: By God, I'll find the culprits

Muhyiddin's daughter sings to comfort M'sians

Shahidan: Perlis Umno can invite Najib, Muhyiddin

No gov’t should hijack its investigations

PDRM vs MACC - a test of independence for both

So foreign donation now acceptable for Umno

Kit Siang: ‘Pakatan 2.0’ will be ready soon

Tuan Ibrahim: DPM sacking not helping ringgit

We lost our moral compass, not just two jets

Show voters how RM2.6b donation was spent