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A Malaysian government minister has accused bloggers, who have been
writing avidly on upcoming elections, of being cowards and warned
they are being monitored, a report said Friday.
Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman said
opposition parties were using blogs to get their message out because
they believed the Home Affairs Ministry was busy monitoring reports
in the mainstream media, the Star daily said.
"They think they can get away with it but
it is not the case as they too are being monitored," she
reportedly said, adding that bloggers were cowards and a nuisance to
the ruling party.
Opposition parties have resorted to blogs, SMS
messaging and YouTube in their campaign for the March 8 polls, to
dodge a virtual blackout on mainstream media.
Major newspapers and television stations -- many
partly owned by parties in the ruling coalition -- have given
blanket coverage to the government and its achievements since the
election was called.
The opposition parties rate barely a mention,
but thanks to the Internet they have begun campaigning feverishly in
cyberspace with the aim of reaching young, urban, educated voters.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranks
Malaysia 124 out of 169 on its worldwide press freedom index, and
says the main media are "often compelled to ignore or to play
down the many events organised by the opposition".
The government has previously threatened that
bloggers could be punished under draconian internal security laws
which provide for detention without trial.
-- AFP
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