KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has blocked 52 new media websites and investigated 14 social media abuse cases since the setting up of the Special Committee to Combat Abuse of Social Media in January. 

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said today the aim of the committee, chaired by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak and comprising the Royal Malaysia Police, MCMC and the Attorney-General's Chambers, was to strengthen the Internet and new media regulatory mechanism. 

"The Special Committee was set up to ensure firm action is imposed on those who use the social media to sow hatred against the government institution and to prevent the social media from sparking chaos via the dissemination of lies, hatred and religious extremism," he told the Dewan Rakyat. 

Jailani was answering a question from Datuk Sapawi Ahmad Wasali (BN-Sipitang) who gad asked about the steps taken by the ministry to curb the abuse of the social media, specially the Whatsapp application, to trigger anxiety and worry among the public, especially relating to security. 

Overall, he said, as of February 2016, twenty-two cases were investigated by MCMC on the abuse of the Internet and new media, and 399 sites were blocked.  

He said the websites which were blocked included those on gambling, cheating and prostitution, those with pornographic content, those put up in bad taste and fake. — Bernama