A Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentarian today urged the government to act against 'insiders' who reveal information to Internet blogs and news portals.

Debating the motion to thank the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat, Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) asked why blogs and portals are not monitored and whether there are laws to regulate them.

"Has the police investigated these Internet sources?" he questioned.

"I wonder where these sources get their information from, how do they know from A to Z of every matter they report.

"The leakage of information to Internet sources must have come from insiders, " he said, adding that action must be taken against them.

The MP also criticised the mainstream media for quoting blogs and news portals. He claimed that it is being done for sensationalism.

Recently, the government issued a 'request' to the mainstream media not to quote such sources, which in the recent past, have been responsible for highlighting numerous scandals.

Who governs ACA?

On another matter, Bung said the public wants to know who governs the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA).

"Is ACA governed by the police, Election Commission (EC) or Prime Minister's Department?" he quipped.

The vocal backbencher also expressed disappointment with the Simpang Renggam detention centre in Johor, which he claimed, turns amateur criminals into professionals.

"If they are amateurs when they go in, they become degree holders (in crime) when released," he said.

He said the government should review the system and not detain anyone without proper evidence and a fair trial.

The majority of the inmates in Simpang Renggam are held under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and Dangerous Drugs Act. Both allow for detention without trial.

Wide powers

Under the EO, the internal security minister has wide powers to order for suspects to be detained for two years. The minister's decision cannot be challenged in court.

The EO has been used over the years to detain or restrict the movement of suspected gang members and criminals - most of whom the police find difficult to bring to justice due to lack of evidence.

Instead of arresting suspects and charging them for offences under the criminal law, the police detain them in Simpang Renggam.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum is currently being investigated by the police for allegedly accepting more than RM5 million in bribes to free a number of detainees linked to organised crime.