KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 ― Putrajaya today defended the decision to block access to a news portal prior to any criminal prosecution, explaining that the same method was also used on websites with pornographic or “extremist” content.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak explained that authorities cannot wait to act once a website is deemed to have abused network services, as doing so would leave undesirable content accessible while investigations proceed.

“If we wait for, as Sepang MP said, we wait for them to be charged before acting, there will be a lot of websites with pornographic content that we need to act on.

“If it violates the law, of course the relevant authorities will take the necessary actions,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

News portal The Malaysian Insider was blocked last week for violations under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which covers the improper use of network services.

Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act includes content that is “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”.

Salleh sought to explain why it was important for independent preemptive action to be taken, pointing out that the ministry’s powers were limited to Section 233, which did not include a prosecutorial role.

He emphasised that prosecution was the sole discretion of the Attorney-General.

“With this Section 233, it isn’t just about politics but it’s also used for other things like pornography, extremism,” he said.