Malaysia might require bloggers to disclose their identities

Malaysia’s deputy energy, water and communications minister Shaziman Abu Mansor has said in a statement that they are currently considering an option to make surfers identify themselves on the internet so that the government can identify them.

He said: “We might follow some other countries who register bloggers as well. That’s what Singapore is doing as well. It’s much better if we can have a list of active bloggers … We want to know who are the bloggers.”

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and a number of other ministers have complained in the recent past that bloggers in the country are hiding behind anonymous names to protect their identities while spreading lies about the government.

Government-linked New Straits Times Press newspaper group is also in news for suing bloggers Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan for defamation.

Another government official was quoted as saying in the media: “For those bloggers who are anonymous, it’s very hard for us to take action against them if they post on their blog. Some of the bloggers are anonymous, so they are using their blog to write wrong information about leaders and all those people who are in high positions.”