KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- After heading the communication and multimedia ministry for 100 days, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek has displayed firmness in handling cases of internet abuse in the country, especially those involving the dissemination of slanderous and seditious matter on social websites.
He is serious that the authorities take swift action and should not tolerate those who issued defamatory statements as harmony in the country could be threatened, leading to unrest.
The efficiency of the ministry, via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in investigating and tracking down irresponsible parties who abuse social websites with sensitive issues such as religion, will ensure they do not escape legal action.
Among the sensitive incidents on the social website included the video of controversial couple Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee, and the video on a woman celebrating Aidilfitri with her dogs.
Although the people are free to use the social media, control under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 will be actively enforced against parties abusing it.
Ahmad Shabery, who took the oath as minister on May 16, had headed the same ministry previously, when it was known as information ministry from March 2008 to April 2009, before being appointed youth and sports minister then.
Born in Kijal, Kemaman, Terengganu, the 55-year-old was a former lecturer at Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Economics and Administration for four years, beginning 1986.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Universiti Malaya and a Masters' degree in Political Science from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, apart from an advanced diploma in International Relations from Universiti Uppsala, Sweden in 1989.
Despite being an ICT-savvy and futuristic-minded man, the member of parliament (MP) for Kemaman since the 2004 General Election, is a person whose feet are firmly in the ground.
His simple taste in life is evident from the apartment in Pandan Desa here in which he has been staying since becoming MP.
Apart from the internet, Ahmad Shabery is also concerned about the content of films shown in the country, as he does not want films which could have negative impact on the people.
As such, he has directed the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) to review the content of the film, 'The New Village', which is scheduled to be played in cinemas this month.
A trailer of the film directed by Ong Kew-Lit sparked a controversy and received various reactions as it depicted the struggle of the communists as heroic for liberating Malaya.
In efforts to raise the standard of communications in the country, Ahmad Shabery, through the ministry, is looking at opportunities in the cloud computing industry, as Malaysia is still holding a large space for server data storage.
With the advantage of infrastructure, supporting services and the lower natural disaster risk, the country can progress to move abreast with advanced countries in communications.
One such model is the AwanHeitech under HeiTech Padu Berhad which was set up to provide data management services.
The move is in line with the vision and mission of Ahmad Shabery to build communications in the country, comparable to other countries, and the effort is seen as giving confidence to foreign companies on Malaysia's capability in the industry, thereby changing the industrial landscape of the local communications industry.
Besides empowering the national communications industry, the ministry also acts as a media to channel accurate information to the people on government delibrations and decisions.
Live telecast of Dewan Rakyat proceedings have been extended to 90 minutes as compared to 30 minutes previously, and 'live telecast' via internet was also introduced in the first term proceeding in July.
His administration also covered development in technology and the needs of the people for digital television, as compared to satellite TV provided by a local company.
According to Ahmad Shabery, digital TV service infrastructure has been designed by the ministry and it would be implemented in stages with transmission starting in the Klang Valley in 2015, before going nationwide, two years later.
"RTM is expected to have seven new channels and become a platform which could be used by Media Prima and other companies, based on terrestrial transmission.
"In this regard, we need to prepare the content and its quality for the new channels in two years, which could also be exported," he said.
On Bernama TV, Ahmad Shabery is making efforts to strengthen the TV news channel as a viable media.
It is learnt that several changes would be made to enable Bernama TV to become a more effective news and information channel, in line with the needs of the leadership.
Apart from raising the quality of communications in the country, the role of the media is also a top priority for Ahmad Shabery as he considers the media as agents to build a healthy political culture in the country.
He said in a general election, the mainstream media and alternative media needed to play their roles in urging the people, as well as politicians, to accept decisions of the people and respect one another.