MALAYSIA COMMITTED TO NET NEUTRALITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is committed to the general
principles of net neutrality' and no internet censorship, the House of
Representatives was told Monday.

Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Joseph Salang
Gandum said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had
been practising open access for holders of telecommunication licence under
the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998.

"The law, enforced on those who violated the country's laws via the
internet, did not contravene the Net Neutrality principle," he said Monday.

He was replying to Tony Phua Kim Wee, a MP who wanted to
know the government's stand on the network neutrality policy for Internet
services in Malaysia.

Salang said net neutrality was a principle proposed for internet service
providers (ISPs) and users, advocating no restriction on content, site or
platform, on the types of equipment that might be attached, and on the mode of
communication allowed.

He said the principle also stated that equal services and communications
would be allowed to the users at subscribed level of access.

The deputy minister also said the government would continue monitoring to
ensure that internet service in the country was not monopolised by certain ISPs,
including Telekom Malaysia, the largest telecommunication company in Malaysia.

"Telekom will not bridle the increase in the number of ISPs in the country.
Instead, it will even allow the ISPs to use its facilities," he said.

Salang said the government had also instructed MCMC and Telekom to prepare a
proposal on how ISPs could provide the service at a much lower cost.

"The proposal will be tabled to the Cabinet next February," he added.

-- BERNAMA