.JPG "Datuk Jailani Johari, Deputy Minister of Communication and Multimedia speaks at the Institute of Journalists Malaysiau00e2u20acu2122s u00e2u20acu02dcJournalism Nowu00e2u20acu2122 forum, May 12, 2015. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Saw Siow Feng")
KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Twenty-two owners of social networking sites, websites and blogs were charged with misusing the medium for various purposes from 2010 to March this year, the Dewan Negara was told today.
Communications and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said as of March, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had investigated 32 cases of misuse of the Internet and new media under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“The offences, such as defamation or dissemination of false news via the Internet are subjected to existing laws such as the Defamation Act 1957, Sedition Act 1948 and the Penal Code (Act 574), as well as the Communications and Multimedia Act,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Senator Datuk Seri Boon Som Inong who wanted to know the number of Malaysians having social media accounts such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram.
As of January, a total of 20.62 million Malaysians had social media accounts, said Jailani. — Bernama
