After announcing last week that the government would now be studying into the possibility of regulating online news portals, Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has since changed his tune on the issue yesterday.

Responding to an inquiry from Sin Chew Daily through a text message, Ahmad Shabery said that the government is not considering passing a law to regulate the Internet media in the near future.

Sin Chew Daily had questioned the minister on whether the Communications and Multimedia Ministry would be following in the Singapore government's footsteps - either by passing a new law or by amending existing ones - to compel Internet media websites to register.

NONE Last Monday, Ahmad Shabery ( left ) told the media that the BN government is studying into this possibility of regulating online news portals as the Singapore government did recently.

The island republic had announced that all online portals must obtain a licence from the Media Development Authority (MDA) if their readership reaches 50,000 or more in a month.

The policy, which took effect on June 1, was seen by many as a means for the People's Action Party (PAP) government to clamp down on Internet dissidence.

Three days ago, more than 2,000 Singaporean netizens had gathered at the Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park to voice their protests against the new regulation.