NATURAL FOR MCMC TO BLOCK MALAYSIA TODAY WEBSITE, SAYS HOME MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Ogos (Bernama) -- Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said today it was natural for the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to act and order the Internet service providers (ISPs) in the country to block the Malaysia Today website.

"I think so many opportunities and warnings have been given (to the
website)
which are not heeded, and I'm sure they (MCMC) have exercised their authority
well and within the law," he told a news conference at the Parliament lobby
Thursday.

Syed Hamid said the government was never intended to curtail people's
freedom to debate and give information.

`"But when you publish contents that are deemed defamatory or slanderous to
other people, I think it's only natural, looking at their power in order to
bring law and order within the country, for them to take the action they
considered necessary," he said.

Syed Hamid said everyone, including website or blog operators, was to
the
law.

According to a news report qouting an industry source Thursday, all the 21
ISPs in the country had been ordered by the MCMC to block the Malaysia Today
website.