Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) says that Section 114A of the Evidence Act Amendment should stay. According to a report in The Sun Daily, MCA feels that the act was put in place to protect against cybercrimes, and should be maintained.
In a statement made to the papers, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, President of MCA said that the amendments were debated and passed at Parliament by both sides of the political divide. “Any objections to the amendment would be political dishonesty,” he said.
Section 114A deals with illicit or harmful content on the Internet. In short, the amendment enables law enforcement officials to swiftly hold someone accountable for publishing seditious, defamatory, or libellous content online. Those who own, administrate, or edit websites open to public contributors, such as online forums or blogs will be held accountable for postings made by others, because they are presumed to be publishers of said content until proven otherwise.
The amendment was not received well by the public. It was reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had asked the Cabinet to discuss the issue before implementing it, after a massive outcry by internet users.
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