Good response against amended Act

The Star

PETALING JAYA: A petition against a new law that presumed Internet users as guilty until proven innocent has already garnered over 1,000 signatures in a single day.

Despite the lack of publicity, the overwhel­ming response against the much-debated Evidence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2012, has even surprised its initiator – the Centre of Independent Journalism.

“We’re hoping for the Government to withdraw the Act,” said CIJ executive officer Masjaliza Hamzah.

She said once 5,000 signatures had been obtained, the centre would hand the petition over to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

The amendment presumes guilt on the author if an offending material were to be published under his name, on his devices and Internet network accounts.

Nazri, the de facto law minister, had previously said that the Government would stick to its guns on the amendment as it ensured that users were held responsible for their posts.