The government will set up rules to govern 'offensive' Internet content but it will not infringe on its no-censorship policy, the executive chairman of the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC)Dr Othman Yeop Abdullah said today.

He said the regulations would be in relation to pornography and other such offensive material but will not encompass politically-orientated web sites.

According to the chairman, the government may follow the Australian Internet Industry Code of Practise which allows web surfers to complain to the authorities if they find any material on the Internet to be offensive.

"We may follow the Australian model but we still maintain the no-censorship policy written in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Bill of Guarantees," he said.

The proposed Malaysian version will be known as the Code of Content and would be based on Malaysian societal norms said Othman who was speaking to reporters after delivering a speech at the 10th World Economic Development Congress at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur.

Public disorder

A forum made up of industry and community leaders would be set up to formulate the Code, said Othman, who added,"We don't want to impose anything".

Asked wether the government would look at the Chinese or the Singaporean models pertaining to content regulations, he replied, "Those are direct forms of Internet censorship".

In 1996, Singapore amended the Singapore Broadcasting Authority Act to require all Internet service and content providers to apply for an operating licence.

China followed suit in 1997 with regulations on state secrets, political subversion and spreading violence and pornography via the Internet.

Meanwhile, Malaysia enacted the Multimedia and Communications Act in 1998 to regulate the Internet industry but had pledged zero censorship.

On May 13, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim was quoted by The Sun daily as saying the Attorney-General (AG) Chambers was in the final stage of drafting laws to make websites accountable for what they carry.

According to Rais, under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) the government is unable to take action against web users who try to create public disorder and incite violence against the government as the it does not cover the Internet.

'Bullet train'

Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister Leo Moggie who is also attended the three-day conference which ends tomorrow told participants that the full power of the Internet has yet to be realised

"Most of us access the Internet by using the telephone or cellular mobile network, neither which were designed to support the Internet.

"It is like trying to run the bullet train on a traditional railway track," he said.

He said that in order for justice to be done to the Internet, new kinds of infrastructure must be in place such as a separate core Internet Protocol (IP) network.

"The new IP network should be designed to provide various broadband access options, including high speed wireless connectivity for users on the move," he said.