Sarawak police chief Mohd Yusoff Jaafar has threatened to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) against cyber vandals who stir up racial and religious hatred in the state.

Referring to the popular Sarawak Talk website which, of late, has seen numerous anonymous postings of seditious religious messages, he warned that the days of these phantom voters are numbered.

"It is possible to trace the culprits although they are hiding behind a veil of pseudonyms. My men are very close to nailing them," Yusoff was quoted by the Sarawak Tribune as saying yesterday.

Expressing concern over the ill-intended messages posted on the website, Yusoff said they can stir up racial and religious hatred and threatened the peace in the state.

"I have discussed the matter with the state government and they too are very concerned. We are now focusing on the action to take," he said.

Agitated by posting

"We have various laws against these people, including Section 4 of the Sedition Act which carries a maximum penalty of three years jail.

"The offender can also be charged under Section 298 of the Penal Code which carries the maximum penalty of one year jail or fine or both," said the police chief.

Yusoff stressed the Internal Security Act was at the police's disposal. "If necessary, we will use it against the cyber vandals," he warned.

The police chief also disclosed he had personally talked to a person who was agitated by a posting on the website.

The person was bent on retaliation but Yusoff advised him to keep cool and refrain from doing anything foolish.

Ironically, Yusoff's statement has evoked a lot of responses from regulars of the Sarawak Talk site over the past two days. While most were police-bashing postings, there were also several responsible reactions.

One suggested that the Sarawak police should concentrate its resources on solving the increasing number of crimes in the state rather than to waste their time tracking down cyber vandals who do not pose too much of a problem to the majority of Sarawakians.

The message said most Sarawakians still do not have access to the Internet and that the number of people visiting the Sarawak Talk site was relatively small.

'Harmless' Sarawakians

Meanwhile, a senior Sarawak journalist told malaysiakini today that he was appalled at the police commissioner's ISA threat saying that the draconian legislation should only be used against those who are found to be real threats to national security, and certainly not "harmless' Sarawakians who are probably having some fun in cyberspace.

On the other hand, he also argued that the Sarawak Talk website can be a good outlet for people to vent their anger and frustration at what they feel strongly against. Without such an outlet, these people will feel stifled, he added.

"We are now promoting the Multmedia Super Corridor and the prime minister has promised that there will be no censorship on the Internet. Will the Sarawak police be going backward with their action?" the journalist asked.