Johor Umno Wanita chief Halimah Sadique today suggested that those who abused the Internet to lie and make baseless accusations should be harshly punished by the government.

halimah sadique She said this when tabling the motion of thanks for the policy speech by the movement's head at the Umno Wanita general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

She added that the cyberspace was a part "of a much needed change" and the party was respectful towards freedom of speech and expression.

However she charged that there were some quarters that used the medium as a "licence to lie".

"Therefore, Wanita is suggesting these ‘cyber criminals' should be punished accordingly," said Halimah.

umno 59 agm 2009 wanita puteri youth opening 250309 04 The Tenggara MP added the party would not want the people to use the Internet as a tool to "insult and humiliate us with all the baseless accusations".

"There have even been so many attempts since the past few years, when the people were still not ready to accept this freedom and democracy without border.

"But then, many have considered our (media) openness and freedom a weakness," she said, adding that some quarters have become bolder and ruder in criticizing Umno leaders.

"They have questioned the social contract, Malay rights and Malay rulers' privileges, and the lies do not stop there," stressed Halimah.

Halimah also claimed that many "opposition parliamentarians were hiding behind the MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor) immunity" when they "spread lies about our leaders".

The lies, said Halimah, have reached a very serious stage and therefore, the Wanita Umno wing fully supported the Home Ministry's move to suspend publication permits of PKR organ Suara Keadilan and PAS-owned Harakah .

The two party organs were suspended by the ministry last Monday for "publishing articles that questioned royalty and sensationalised news that were defamatory", according to its minister Syed Hamid Albar.

An embarrassing incident

Meanwhile various other Wanita delegates also suggested that the party moved forward and got its feet back on the ground after the major setback suffered in the March 8 general election last year.

The delegates also argued that the party should push for major reforms and rebranding to wash the party out of money politics that has blended in with the party's image for so long.

Haslina Halim, a delegate from Perlis, said she could not bear the ‘humiliation' when Umno was seen as a ‘corrupt party' from the majority of the people.

She recalled an incident which she had with a taxi driver on her way to attend the meet in Kuala Lumpur recently.

"When I was going to pay him for the fare, the taxi driver asked me, ‘Are you going to pay me with corruption money?' What else could I say to that? I was so embarrassed by his remark," she said.

She said the party should be more serious in curbing money politics and this should be translated into actions.

"This is because the Umno grassroots themselves have lost faith in Malay politics until there are some quarters who question the Malay rights.

"Now, we are urging the Wanita to change and give a high commitment to cleaning the image of Umno especially money politics," said Haslina.

ISA should remain alive

Meanwhile, a delegate from Perak, Asmah Ramli has called upon the Wanita wing to remain united in facing the challenges to come after Umno's worst defeat in the previous general election.

She also said no one should act in treason against the Malay rulers and the royal institution in Malaysia.

In relation to that, she also agreed with the existence of controversial security law Internal Security Act, stressing that the law should be defended.

For Jainab Ahmad of Sabah, Umno members should change themselves in order to be accepted by the people.

"If we don't change ourselves, the people themselves will change (replace) us," said Jainab.