Information, Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim today proposed that people post information based on facts on the social media to avert libel.

He suggested that bloggers and operators of other Internet facilities conduct research prior to posting information and views.

“In this way, we can avert issuing libellous statements about one another,” he told reporters after opening the Selangor 1Malaysia Social Media Convention organised by the Selangor Information Department with the collaboration of the Selangor Special Affairs Department in Shah Alam.

Rais said one area of research which could be attempted was to find out what was happening and who was continuing to develop infrastructure in Kedah, Penang and Selangor three years into opposition rule.

He also said that the information that should be conveyed through Twitter and Facebook should of a society-building nature and not libellous.

Asked about measures to curb the rampant spread of libel over the Internet, Rais said that if laws were introduced to check the spread of libel, it did not mean that the government was imposing censorship of the Internet.

“Gaming or gambling through the Internet is an offence; pornography and child pornography are offences; taking particulars of banking accounts is an offence,” he said.

Commenting on a statement by Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat that the Barisan Nasional (BN) had deviated from its original purpose, Rais said if anyone had deviated, it was definitely Nik Aziz.

He asked what Nik Aziz had done to unite the Muslims in the country.

“He should have given priority to religion over politics, but when he combined the two, he only confused the people, including voters, in Kelantan,” he said.

- Bernama