KOTA BAHARU, July 28 (Bernama) -- Corruption and power abuse allegations against Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mat Noor are proof of blogs being used to post slander, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said.
"Slander by bloggers if not curtailed will in the end cause the people to lose their confidence in the government and it is for this reason that they should be made accountable for their reports," he told reporters after opening the Kota Baharu Umno divisional delegates annual conference here today.
Mohamed Nazri was reacting to Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's statement yesterday in ordering the ACA to close its investigations against Musa and Zulkifli because there was no evidence to implicate them.
The investigation against Musa was made over an allegation that he received RM2 million to release three detainees held under the Emergency Ordinance.
Zulkifli was investigated by the ACA after former Sabah ACA director Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan lodged a report early this year alleging Zulkifli had engaged in corrupt practices, abuse of power and sexual misconduct.
Mohamed Nazri advised bloggers to exercise caution in their articles so as not to cause injustice to the person/persons involved.
"Why didn't the blog writers lodge reports directly to the ACA without posting them on their blogs. This is unfair and will tarnish the image of the person/persons concerned," he said, adding that it was time to control the blogs to avoid more slander being hurled against leaders.
In JOHOR BAHARU, Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said the police report lodged by Umno against the operator of the Malaysia-Today website, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, was not because the party could not handle criticism, but to safeguard the Royal institution and Islam.
He said that although the government practised openness, it was not a "blank cheque" for bloggers to post whatever they liked on the Internet.
"No one should insult the Royal institution and Islam and Umno's action in lodging the report brought about the desired results and has since been withdrawn," he told reporters after opening an entrepreneurship carnival organised by Johor Baharu City Hall and G2 Management Sdn Bhd, here today.
Shahrir, who is also the Member of Parliament for Johor Baharu, hoped it would be a lesson to everyone on the need to respect the law.
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