Malaysian blogger arrested for reporting government corruption

U.S. lawyers should appreciate the rights we have to question government practices through blogs. The Southeast Asian Press Alliance reports on a Malaysian blogger being arrested for comments posted on his blog that pointed to a corrupt internal security system in Malaysia.

26-year-old Nathaniel Tan was taken from his office by three plainclothes policemen after a he posted a link on his blog to a website that accuses Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum of accepting bribes in exchange for the release of people detained under Malaysia’s Emergency Ordinance, a law dealing with internal security that allows for detention without trial. If found guilty of violating the relevant laws, Tan could face one to seven years’ imprisonment.

South East Asian Press reports Tan is the second blogger to face official action within three days. On July 10, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) launched an investigation into Tian Chua, a well-known activist.

Technorati Tags: blog law