Malaysia backtracks on its bloggers

Here is a good example of how Blogs can enter the world of politics and censorship. This story, "Malaysia backtracks on its bloggers", from the online Asia Times, gives an example from Malaysia:

"The recent reaction by authorities to disparaging comments posted on a popular weblog here reflect contradictory attitudes toward the creation of a more liberal society and appear to have dented Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's reformist credentials in the eyes of some Malaysians.

The abusive comments, made by a visitor to the popular Screenshots blog managed by Jeff Ooi, an e-business consultant and columnist for a business journal, drew flak from government officials for insulting Islam Hadhari, which the government is trying to promote as a progressive understanding of Islam, in light of money politics within the ruling party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). The allegations of money politics and vote-buying claim that candidates at the party's Supreme Council election had given huge sums of money to delegates in order to secure support.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar has warned that authorities could take action against Ooi under the feared Internal Security Act (ISA), which provides for indefinite detention without trial...."