Blocked Sites Online Again As Malaysian Government Says It Will Not Block Blogs or Websites

Well, that has been some piece of good news. Yesterday the Malaysian Government has agreed not to block sites and blogs. Well and good. Someone up there must be thinking straight and saw the light.

Why resort to such futile exercise when you know that it is virtually (pun intended) impossible to actually block sites and even if the futile exercise was partially successful, the best it did was to make the blockers look like 'gobloks'?

The authorities should in fact put thinking people on its board, not some trigger happy clerk ready to shoot down all and sundry and throw the morality book at anyone without thinking of the fallout - or how their consequences would reveal their lack of knowledge, skill and expertise where cyberspace is concerned.

I am saying this because over the past few weeks, this writer has been alerted to the fact that someone representing the authorities has been sending out mails to site publishers asking them to explain why objectionable content was put on their site.

These objectionable content, mind you, are not porn. Nor are they text-link ads publicising some pyramid "Pak Man Telo" or "Labu Peram" schemes - which in my opinion would have made better and more logical target for showcauses.

The objectionable content are non other than alcoholic beverage ads. In case you have not noticed, there are some sites showing the objectional content - some brown bubbles blowing off the page and when clicked take you to the intended homepage and god help you if you are forbidden to click on such stuff.

I cannot write which alcoholic beverage company lest I myself commit the same sin of spelling out the objectionable content. And I won't tell you which publisher showed the ads, lest I embarrass them as well.

But I was told that any one who displayed the harp brand beverage advertisement now has to contend with replying to a showcause - the severity of which I have no knowledge except from what has been told to me. heck, I don't even know if it is true, but pray share if you have heard that it is.

Come to think of it, the powers that be have yet to really understand the meaning of globalisation and cyberspace.

Is there law against alcoholic beverage? Or is it merely that morality thing again which we often like to throw upon others?

I think there needs to be a rethink for all internet governing bodies in Malaysia.

Ban scams and other dubious ads but not ads like alcoholic beverages which have gained worldwide acceptance.

Ban cigarette ads if you must - and look stupid - but you can safely leave beer ads alone. At best it makes you look silly, yet again.