Face Book obliged Malaysia to block debate

Facebook blocks Malaysia's anti-mega-tower page

Trinity Chua
Oct 20, 10

Social networking site Facebook has blocked a fast-growing page set up by a group of Malaysians against the controversial 100-storey tower proposed by the government.

In just four days, the page attracts more than 30,000 fans, or about one in every 300 Facebook users in Malaysia. It aims to register one million fans.

While Facebook users can still join the '1M Malaysians reject 100-storey Mega Tower' page, the page owners are however barred from posting any message on the site.

The anonymous owner has described Facebook's action as a new form of Internet censorship.

“While new media offers room for social movements, the authoritarian governance by the Internet giants like Facebook has sunk to a new form of censorship,” said one of the creators of the page yesterday after discovering he was blocked from the site.

Facebook has published a brief statement on the page: "Your publishing rights have been blocked due to a violation of the Pages Terms of Use".

Facebook neither specifies the details of violation nor provides a channel of appeal.

"One is presumed innocent until guilty in any civilised society but in Facebook, you are guilty once charged. Not only you cannot claim trial, you don't even know your exact offence! Is this not cyber-tyranny?" asked the page owners.

The '1M Malaysians reject 100-storey Mega Tower' page was set up a day after the Prime Minister Najib Razak's 2010 Budget speech where he announced that the mega-tower would cost RM5 billion.

In a country commonly perceived as divided by ethnicity and faiths, the page has attracted fans from all communities.

Many of the page members argued that the RM5 billion can be better used for purposes other than building the mega-tower.

“This type of money should be spend on the rakyat. Better schools, hospitals, transportation, etc. By upgrading the needs of the rakyat, the money will also stimulate the economy,” said one user, Chris Chin.

“RM5 billion to build the 1Tower while only RM250 million for all schools nationwide. That's just 5 percent of the tower's budget! Who is going to grow Malaysia's economy in the future – the tower or our children?” asked Syed Faisal.

The page picked up 1,000 fans an hour at peak periods after its existence was reported by websites such as Malaysiakini, Merdeka Review and Malaysian Digest.

Najib has defended the mega-tower in the wake of severe criticism. He said the project will have a multiplier effect on the economy.

"We want the area to become a business hub," he said. "So this project is not a waste but is one which will benefit the people."

Not the first censorship by Facebook

This is not the first time Facebook has blocked pages created by Malaysian dissident groups.

In September 2010, another Facebook page, 'Malaysian for Beng Hock', was blocked by Facebook administrators.

Attracting more than 14,880 supporters, the page aims to seek answers behind the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock, an aide of an opposition politician, in July 2009. Teoh was found dead outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's Selangor headquarters after an 11-hour interrogation.

Last year, Facebook blocked another similar page, 'Justice for Beng Hock'. The page, now defunct, attracted more than 10,000 supporters.

Two months ago, Facebook took similar action against yet another page, 'Save Jamal on Air'.

Radio DJ Jamal, whose real name is Jamaluddin Ibrahim, was sacked allegedly due to allowing discussion of racially-sensitive issues in his talk show.

The page, which has 11,015 fans, is now dormant after it was blocked.