Malaysia's Internet Governance Dilemma

After the unexpected result of the 2008 General Election in Malaysia, the political potential of an uncensored Internet was recognized by political and social elites. The ‘tsunami’ of criticism of government triggered a reconsideration of tighter Internet regulation, despite Vision 2020’s guarantee that e-government and multimedia business development would be unrestricted by Internet censorship. Through a study of the role of Independent News Portals (INPs), particularly the Malaysiakini.com, this chapter assesses the democratic, business, and political challenges of Internet governance. The perspectives of key media, business and government personnel are included in a small nested study of elite reactions to the explosion of diversity of critical opinion online, and the subsequent consideration of tighter Internet regulation. The interview findings conclude that support for the Internet to remain uncensored remains strong in Malaysia among members of the professional elites, but this is primarily for economic and pragmatic, rather than democratic reasons. Suggested solutions include increasing cross-silo discussions between government agencies about ICT development and outcomes in Malaysia.