Malaysian authorities confirm Sarawak Report blocked until 1MDB probe complete

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) confirmed that it has blocked Sarawak Report’s website pending an investigation on 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

MCMC Strategic Communications senior director Sheikh Raffie Abdul Rahman said the agency sent out instruction to Internet service providers today to block access to the site.

“Yes we have proceeded with limiting the access to the site.

“We have issued the instructions to all service providers,” he told Malay Mail Online.

In a press release issued by MCMC later, it said it has decided to block websites that can “threaten the country’s stability” with contents that “cannot be verified and is being investigated”, after it received “information and complaints from the public”.

These include the UK-based Sarawak Report.

The government regulatory body said the move is provided for under Section 211 and 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and the period of the block is temporary until the special task force ends its investigations.

It also issued a reminder to the public not to disseminate information without verifying their authenticity.

Sarawak Report became unreachable from Malaysia today.

When contacted earlier, Sarawak Report founder Clare Rewcastle Brown said the block is only in Malaysia and it is still accessible in the UK.

“We are getting lots of reports from Malaysia that we are blocked, but there are a few readers online at the moment.

“So we suspect some service providers are blocking but not all.

“We are still looking into it,” she said over e-mail.

The block has not yet been enforced by all service providers as the website s still accessible via Digi and Unifi.

1MDB is being investigated by a multi agency task force. MALAY MAIL ONLINE