Internet Revolution: Political Implications

McDaniel (2002) also states the political implications after the introduction of the no censorship policy:

“One interesting result of Malaysia’s information policies-censoring what is broadcast and printed but not Internet content-has been a dramatic rise in the population of online news papers. First to benefit was PAS, the Islamic opposition party and publisher of an opposition newsletter, Harakah, which frequently covered stories that mainstream newspaper would not. By enforcing rules, the government had driven the printed newsletter out of wide circulation but in response, Harakah built an online version that flourished until the publication’s editor Zulkifli Sulong and the newspaper’s printer Chea Lim Thye were arrested and charged with sedition.

Even more surprising has been the experience of Malaysiakini, an online newspaper that has no print version. Started with a grant supplied by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, this online newspaper says it intends to ‘push the boundaries of free speech and press freedom in Malaysia by providing credible and up-to-date news and analysis.’ Working with a staff of only 13, the web site claims daily hits of around 100,000. But on days when there is breaking news, readership can rise as high as 400,000. These figures are similar to ones posted by the major print newspapers, a remarkable result in a country where less than one-third of the population has Internet access.”

To understand the impact of the Internet, we should explore the political discourse of the government. Thus, I will look into Malaysiakini and the case of Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK).

Reference
McDaniel, D. (200) Southeast Asia’s electronically charged media revolution, Nieman Reports, 56,2; Research Library pp. 63