RAIS CALLS FOR CREATION OF INTERNAL COUNCIL TO MONITOR BLOGGERS

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
today called for the creation of an intenal council or mechanism to monitor
bloggers.

He said that in terms of law, the Sedition Act was sufficient but he was
worried about enforcement which was not up to the mark and having such a council
would help in enforcement.

He said that the arms of the law might not be long enough to reach bloggers
outside the country but if the blogger was in the country, something could be done and it was all a question of will.

He told reporters this when asked to comment on a blog posting calling on
the people to display their unhappiness with what is going on in the government by flying the national flag upside down.

He said that rather than resorting to such an act, it would be better for
them to express their dissatisfaction through the proper channels like writing
articles and to speak out on whom they disliked, what was wrong and what was inappropriate.


"Rather than bashing the flag, it's better for them to take it out on the
person concerned or the leaders that they don't like," he added.

On the claim that Singapore was expanding the area around the lighthouse on
Pulau Pisang, Dr Rais said he would instruct the technical committee on the Malaysian side to look into it.

"I cannot reply to that because it has not been brought to my notice of any
expansional programme or of any act that goes against the goodwill of the two countries," he said.

He said the position of Pulau Pisang in respect of the lighthouse would be studied quickly and Singapore would be informed of what Malaysia would like to do with the island.

He said Pulau Pisang should not be left to itself and the state government
must be proactive in terms of the development and masterplan for the island for the sake of future generations.

-- BERNAMA