Calling it "undemocratic" and "counterproductive", rights NGO Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has criticised the recent blocking of websites and blogs by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

"LFL views with extreme concern the MCMC heavy-handed and liberal use of its powers to block numerous websites and blogs critical of the government, especially on issues concerning 1MDB, corruption and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak," the NGO's executive director Eric Paulsen said in a statement today.

The NGO was referring to MCMC's blocking of Sarawak Report website in July 2015, and more recently Malaysia Chronicle, regional news website Asia Sentinel, online publication platform Medium, and today's addition of local blog sites : syedsoutsidethebox, tabunginsider, jinggo-fotopages, and Din Turtle to the list.

LFL contended that there are no good and valid reasons to block the websites and blogs other than "a desperate attempt to stem the flow of critical news and information".

"Such behaviour is undemocratic, a grave abuse of power and in breach of the ‘no-Internet-censorship’ policy which is protected in both the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and MSC Malaysia’s Bill of Guarantees," Paulsen added.

LFL also posited that such attempts are futile and ineffective as the site's contents will continue to be reported by other press, blogs and disseminated on social media.

It argued that the attempt to silence the sites will itself become news and bring into sharp focus the content the authorities were trying to block in the first place.

LFL also reminded authorities real crimes are not to be found online in news websites, blogs and on social media, adding that it is more prudent for the authorities to come to terms with the reality of the internet and social media rather than resorting to penal laws or harsh enforcement methods that are inconsistent with modern democratic demands.

The NGO also expressed concern that such "crude tactics" has become a norm in the recent past, pointing to similar actions against The Edge, The Malaysian Insider, Malaysiakini and other independent press which had also been targeted with investigations and arrests over reports critical of the government.

LFL concluded by calling upon the MCMC to immediately lift its blockade against the websites and blogs.