The Asia Times looks at the dust up between blogger Jeff Ooi and the government that have occurred the past few weeks.
It started with a comment on Ooi’s blog and evolved into international discussion.

Media activists were quick to spring to Ooi’s defence, arguing that he should not be held responsible for comments made by visitors to his website. A blog is essentially a web-based journal where people can post comments for other Internet users to read. Ooi’s defenders point out that in the case of a popular blog like his, dozens of comments can be posted on any single day and it becomes very difficult for the blogger to keep tabs on all entries and sieve out the abusive, derogatory ones. They have likened such comments to crude graffiti in a public restroom for which the restroom’s operator cannot be held responsible. They point out that most Malaysians would have missed the comments if not for the official reaction and media publicity that followed.

The right to free expression on the Internet is problematic for some, as talk of ethnicity, language and religion inevitably dominates many discussions. This is unsurprising given Malaysia’s affirmative action policies in favor of Malays and other indigenous groups and the inroads made by political Islam in recent years. The government often regards such issues as “sensitive”, fearing that they could spark racial or communal unrest, while the country’s anti-sedition act prohibits any questioning of the “special position” of the Malays as spelled out in the constitution.

Currently about 15% of Malaysian homes have PC’s. The government has embarked on a project to 35% by 2006.