The Struggle for Digital Freedom of Speech
49
became a central hub for information on SARS, propelling Ooi ’ s blog to international
and domestic prominence.
Blogs as Catalysts for Mobilizing General Collective Action
One of the most highly visible accomplishments of the Malaysian blogosphere is its
ability to rally huge protests and mobilize collective action. In a country where a
gathering of three or more persons could constitute an assembly, thereby requiring
a police permit, rallies, protests, and riots are rare.
37 From independence in 1957
until the emergence of the sociopolitical blogosphere circa 2005, there have been
three major instances of riots. By contrast, civil society marched to protest on fi ve
separate occasions in 2007. All fi ve were heavily publicized and coordinated by
means of the Malaysian Internet and blogosphere, including the BERSIH rally calling
for fair and clean elections, which attracted tens of thousands of protestors.
Blogs as Instructive Platforms of Expression
The mainstream Malaysian media steer clear of many pertinent political issues that
are racially charged for fear of revocation of their printing licenses or of prosecution
for sedition. By contrast, the blogosphere is strident and transparent about the “ racial
perspectives ” taken, by both bloggers and readers who leave comments. However,
“ racially infl ammatory ” online content has not disrupted public order to date and is
increasingly less commonplace, suggesting that the blogosphere may act as a “ safety
valve, ” a place to air grievances peaceably without resorting to violence and to discuss
racial relations without descending to name calling.
38
The Janus-Faced Malaysian Sociopolitical Blogosphere: A Medium of
Communication and a Peer-Production System of Political Discourse
The question of how the Malaysian blogosphere has coordinated successful pushback
against linear governmental regulatory attempts raises a related question of how it
resolves the problem of information overload. Put simply, if anyone with access to
the Internet can speak, how is anything meaningful being said or heard? The answer
to both queries lies in unique features of the Malaysian political blogosphere.
Physical Clustering of Malaysian Sociopolitical Bloggers
In a 2006 study, Jun-E Tan and Zawawi Ibrahim report that Malaysian bloggers are
geographically clustered.
39 An overwhelming 63.3 percent of them are located in
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which is unsurprising given that this is the heartland of
49
became a central hub for information on SARS, propelling Ooi ’ s blog to international
and domestic prominence.
Blogs as Catalysts for Mobilizing General Collective Action
One of the most highly visible accomplishments of the Malaysian blogosphere is its
ability to rally huge protests and mobilize collective action. In a country where a
gathering of three or more persons could constitute an assembly, thereby requiring
a police permit, rallies, protests, and riots are rare.
37 From independence in 1957
until the emergence of the sociopolitical blogosphere circa 2005, there have been
three major instances of riots. By contrast, civil society marched to protest on fi ve
separate occasions in 2007. All fi ve were heavily publicized and coordinated by
means of the Malaysian Internet and blogosphere, including the BERSIH rally calling
for fair and clean elections, which attracted tens of thousands of protestors.
Blogs as Instructive Platforms of Expression
The mainstream Malaysian media steer clear of many pertinent political issues that
are racially charged for fear of revocation of their printing licenses or of prosecution
for sedition. By contrast, the blogosphere is strident and transparent about the “ racial
perspectives ” taken, by both bloggers and readers who leave comments. However,
“ racially infl ammatory ” online content has not disrupted public order to date and is
increasingly less commonplace, suggesting that the blogosphere may act as a “ safety
valve, ” a place to air grievances peaceably without resorting to violence and to discuss
racial relations without descending to name calling.
38
The Janus-Faced Malaysian Sociopolitical Blogosphere: A Medium of
Communication and a Peer-Production System of Political Discourse
The question of how the Malaysian blogosphere has coordinated successful pushback
against linear governmental regulatory attempts raises a related question of how it
resolves the problem of information overload. Put simply, if anyone with access to
the Internet can speak, how is anything meaningful being said or heard? The answer
to both queries lies in unique features of the Malaysian political blogosphere.
Physical Clustering of Malaysian Sociopolitical Bloggers
In a 2006 study, Jun-E Tan and Zawawi Ibrahim report that Malaysian bloggers are
geographically clustered.
39 An overwhelming 63.3 percent of them are located in
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which is unsurprising given that this is the heartland of