KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Internet use must be treated like a “knife” that could inflict great harm and attract dire consequences,  Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Jailani Johari said today.

The deputy minister was urging Internet users to be mindful of their online activities following recent controversies in social media that have drawn the ire of the authorities.

“It (the Internet) can be used to cut a meat or it can be used to cause a murder,” Jailani said at a press conference after launching the World Press Photo 2013 exhibition.

“So that’s why I’d like to stress the importance of self regulation. Which means you have to be responsible in whatever you post.”

In the most recent case, a video titled “Surau dijadikan tokong???” (A surau turned into a temple?) was uploaded on the Internet and ended up invoking widespread anger among Muslims here.

The 85-second-long video showed a Muslim prayer room in a Johor resort allegedly being used by Buddhist tourists for worship.

The clip begins with an external shot of a small building and a close-up of what appears to be a sign in Arabic script over a doorway.

The video’s maker then approaches the building to record what seems as a prayer session by a dozen white-clad people led by a monk in red and saffron.

Earlier last month, a posting by sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee showing a mock “Selamat Berbuka Puasa” (breaking of fast) greeting on their Facebook page featuring them eating “bak kut teh”, and describing the soupy pork dish as “wangi, enak, menyelerakan” (fragrant, delicious, appetising) also earned the wrath of Muslims here.

The couple were charged with sedition, among others, after that.

Before the commotion over the photo subsided, a Muslim dog trainer, Maznah Mohd Yusof, was also arrested and probed under the Sedition Act over a video she made three years ago in which she is featured celebrating Aidilfitri with her three pet dogs.

Jailani emphasized at the press conference that internet users should take full responsibility of their social media sites contents.

He mentioned a programme called 'Klik dengan Bijak' by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to manage social media postings issues.