Online Journalism Should Be Controlled

Online journalism is defined as the reporting facts, information or news but it is produced and distributed by the Internet.  For sure, if we are talk about the usage of internet, it will link us to the media freedom. 

 

There is a law in Malaysia that protects media freedom, Article 10 of the Constitution.   The act also stated that there are limits to this freedom, and that these limits are, generally, defined by the Government.

If you want to really impress the crowd, you could also point to the guarantees under the Communications and Multimedia Act.  This covers broadcasting and the Internet. What are the guarantees under this act? (1) No monopoly or oligopoly control of the airwaves and (2) Nothing in the Act is to be regarded as censorship of the Internet (Media Freedom in Malaysia, 2004).

The problem that our country has faced now is the second one, which is “nothing in the Act is to be regarded as censorship of the Internet”.  Why become a problem to our country?  A free media that acts as a check and balance on both individuals and institutions government, the legislature, the judiciary, business, the civil service, the police force, NGOs and so on lays a crucial role in building a just and democratic society (The Edge, 2008).

By calling for transparency and accountability, the press reinforces good governance and helps to ensure that there is no place for corruption and abuse.  But again, thus these particular things happen?  If yes, why lots of defamation cases that involving the internet users (internet journalist) happen and ethnocentrism among races in Malaysia are increasing?

That is why in my opinion the online journalism should be control because most of the readers will believe, anything that has been wrote in the web or blogs are true and accurate.  This is due to the nature of the internet itself.  Internet is known as the fastest and updated medium of information.  So because of this matter, the percentage of miscommunication increasing and defamation occurs.

Besides that the online journalism also will give impact on our national harmony.  As we know, the online journalism is the medium where journalists are freely to write whatever they want.  Thus, for those unethical journalists they definitely will write something that can create barrier (ethnocentrism) among races in Malaysia.

Online journalism also should be controlled in order to maintain and to boost our economy level.  This is because if those online journalists write all the problems that being faces by our government or country, for sure the investors who had invested in Malaysia will pull out their share.

So we must realise that just because there isn't any censorship or control of the Internet under this Act, doesn't mean there isn't any censorship of the Internet. Other bits of legislation can be used like, Printing Presses and Publications Act, Communications and Multimedia Act, Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, Internal Security Act and myriad other which I believe it’s really need to be tighten further in order to protect the peace that we are enjoying in Malaysia right now.