Malaysiakini journalist S Pathmawathy got a shock when she went to the media room in Parliament today to file her story - her brand-new laptop was stolen in what was supposed to be a secure area.

Like other journalists, she had earlier left her laptop - an Apple Macbook worth RM6,000 - in the media room to go and cover the parliamentary debates.

Also missing was her purse along with her car keys. However, they were later found in a nearby toilet, but with all her money missing.

"However, my identity card was intact," said Pathmawathy, who joined Malaysiakini three weeks ago. "I’m stunned as I thought this was a secure place.”

The media room does not have a close-circuit camera.

According to Bernama , Star journalist Zulkifli Abdul Rahman said he too was shocked that someone could have stolen the laptop from the media room.

He said the room was a restricted area and access to it was only granted to journalists, members of parliament and other civil servants on duty in Parliament.

Padma has lodged a report to the Parliament security and will be making a police report later this evening.

Websites, blogs under probe

Meanwhile, Parliament was told today that 22 websites and blogs have been investigated by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for airing false, pornographic and baseless allegations.

Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Joseph Salang Gandum told senator Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain in Dewan Rakyat that out of those blogs investigated, the commission had forwarded three investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

"Most of the blogs and websites are being operated using platforms from overseas and efforts to obtain evidence necessary for action often come to a dead end.

"Therefore, it's very hard to take legal action against these blogs," he said.

Salang said the MCMC also did not license blogging activities, making it hard for both the ministry and the commission to have a comprehensive list of those behind these websites and blogs.