Blogs being monitored?

Thats an oxymoron! If I may use that word....Rais Yatim said this in Parliament but I guess it escaped most of us. Why? Because bloggers don't really have the power. According to the story on page 21 of National news in the Star on Wednesday, 8th of July, Rais was quoted to have said 'Bloggers have the power to unite or wreck society'.

I beg to differ. Having an opinion is not equal to having the power to wreck or unite society. The power wrests in lawmakers. It wrests in the Government. Bloggers are no different from anyone else, except that they are more visible through their unending opinions on all matters under the sky. And the internet allows for it because there are people out there spending a few RM in coffeeshops that surf the net and look for subjects to read!

In the past, senior government officials were reported to have said that there already is enough laws in the country to keep bloggers in check. Of course, if you speak to a lawyer, he will tell you that some of the laws are outdated (read sedition act). But if that is the case, why aren't the lawmakers busy with this to change it? And what about criminal defamation? Or the printing and publications act?

It is terribly wrong to use the space that one can get to spread lies. I believe such has been the case whenever people have certain ulterior motives in mind. If that is the case, the government should use the right laws to charge and commit the offender. To restrict people is totally wrong.
I fo one would like to sue a certain party for denying me my rights to publish certain articles of gender discrimination, but fortunately for them, the law has permitted them to shut me up...for now. I wait with baited breath for the verdict to ensue so that rain or shine, I can blog about it.

Most of us bloggers agreed that we will defend each other's right to write about what we want to. Some choose to get personal, some choose to tell half truths, and some no truth at all. Whichever the case, it makes for good reading. The fact is, as long as readers are not able to decide truth from fiction, this problem will always remain. Spreading sms that cause panic is one thing, spreading lies to defame is another. In truth, the objective remains with the publisher and the publisher alone. Not the reader.

For now, being monitored, I guess will be the new way of cyber life?