Popular blogger Mohd Nur Hanief Abdul Jalil 27, was grilled by MCMC officers for three hours this morning following his detention and seizure of computers from his home last night.

"They say that someone reported me for something that caused them to sakit hati (feeling hurt).

"According to the investigation officers, if somebody feels sakit hati with a picture or posting on the Internet, they can report to MCMC," Hanief told Malaysiakini when contacted after his ordeal.

Hanief, a well-known blogger had posted several controversial stories and pictures on his blog , the latest included allegations of sexual misconduct of a royal and a doctored picture showing former premier Mahathir Mohamad sitting next to model Kavita Kaur.

NONE The session which started after 10am went on until about 1pm. The blogger had no legal representation as his lawyer N Surendran was unable to make it to the sudden appointment.

"There were two MCMC officers. I was alone, my father was allowed in but I decided to go in alone," he said.

MCMC had refused Surendran's ( left ) request for the sudden interrogation session to be postponed so that he can be present.

"They way I see it, their conduct is more like they are trying to intimidate bloggers," Hanief alleged, recalling the heavy handed way the police and MCMC officers raided his house at 11pm last night.

As far as he remember, he was unaware of any warrant shown to him for his detention and the seizures late at night.

A seizure note was provided for the computers taken but not complete as the serial numbers were not written down, he said.

‘Selective memory like Mahathir'

Hanief related how the MCMC officers asked for his Facebook, Gmail and Blogger passwords, arousing his suspicion as they would only need them to analyse the data there.

He added that he was reticent to reveal his password as what the passwords hold is his private property and protect his lifelihood from his online ventures.

"When they asked me for my passwords, I told them I could not remember, just like Mahathir, I have selective memory," Hanief said..

He said that the MCMC officers threatened him that his non-compliance with their notice under Section 249 of the Multimedia and Communications Act to surrender his passwords, may see him jailed for two years or fined RM100,000 as per section 242 of the Act.

That section requires MCMC investigating officers to be "provided with the necessary password, encryption code, decryption code, software or hardware" to "access computerized data whether stored in a computer or otherwise".

‘Act of intimidation'

Contacted today, Surendren who is also PKR vice-president confirmed that Hanief is being invetigated by the commission over "an alleged blog posting that supposedly disrespected and insulted the Sultan".

He condemned the interrogation of the blogger as an act of "intimidation" and "strong arm tactics" by the government.

"It is an attempt to crackdown on bloggers and the Internet, and goes against our guaranteed freedom of expression," he told Malaysiakini .

Hanief was detained shortly for questioning by MCMC officers in the Sentul police station last night, following the raid on his house, but was released after the intervention of Batu parliamentarian Tian Chua who had argued that there had been no warrant or notice for the blogger to be questioned.

The MCMC then issued a new notice calling for Hanief's presence at the MCMC Putrajaya headquarters this morning.

mahathir responses to suaram report 01 Hanief's case joins several recent actions taken by authorities against online content which many see  as attempts to hobble the new media, despite guarantees that Malaysia will not censor the Internet when the Multimedia Super Corridor was first set up by Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( right ) when he was prime minister.

Freedom of expression advocates have long condemned the Malaysian government for its tight control of the media, and have hit out at the recently announced plans to include the new media under the repressive Printing Presses and Publication Act.