[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 16 Aug 1999
Time: 01:58:45
Remote User: -
Malaysians now able to judge news on Internet'
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians are now more discerning when it comes to news posted on the Internet and are able to judge for themselves whether they are true, Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday.
The acting Umno Youth chief said a recent posting on a pro-reformasi site claiming there would be violence and riots in the country when Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad went abroad, did not cause tension or friction.
"This is a good development. Not too long ago, there was a virtual riot in Chow Kit created through the Internet and people were talking about another May 13 incident.
"People could not wait to switch on the Internet and took it as gospel truth.
"But now, with a lot of strange things coming out from the Net, people are able to sieve the information and reject nonsensical ones," he said after the opening of the People's Progressive Party Youth assembly.
A recent posting on a pro-reformasi site purportedly from a special branch officer alleged that Umno, the police and armed forces were plotting to create riots in the country to blame and discredit the opposition parties.
Hishammuddin said the intention was to instil fear in people and a hatred towards the Government but this was unsuccessful as people disbelieved the "strange" news.
On a different matter, he said Umno Youth had "no phobia" in discussing sensitive issues such as abolishing the quota system for student admission into universities.
"If it is discussed rationally and in a matured manner, there is no reason why we cannot discuss it in a closed-door Barisan Nasional meeting," he said when asked if such an issue would be used by the opposition to discredit Umno by saying it was selling out the Malays.
Earlier, in his speech, PPP Youth chief T. Murugiah said it was time for the Government to review the quota system for admission into local universities.
He claimed it was unfair for the Government to sideline non-Malays and that all Malaysian students should be treated equally.
He believed the Government could abolish the quota system without infringing the rights of bumiputras.
He noted that with the economic downturn, many parents of non-Malay students could not afford to send their children to private universities and urged the Government to look for an alternative.