KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Energy, Telecommunications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho said the Government could act against anyone spreading false information or lies through the Internet. He said victims of such lies and false information could lodge reports with the ministry's enforcement unit or the police for investigations to be initiated under the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998.

Tan said spreading false information, lies and pornographic materials through the Internet was an offence under section 233 of the Act.

"Our enforcement unit or police can investigate and if we find sufficient evidence, such offenders can be charged in court," he told reporters after opening Sabah Art Institute's new cybercafe here.

He said offenders could be fined up to RM50,000, a maximum one-year jail term or both.

Tan said there was a general misconception among the public that there were no controls over Internet materials because there was no censorship of information made available through it. He said so far no one had been charged or investigated by his ministry under the Act.

He added that the police, however, had taken action against some people involved in spreading lies through the Internet by using a different law.

Tan said it was the Government's aim to promote Internet access to a greater number of Malaysians as it wanted the people to use information technology for self growth, business and knowledge.

He said the Government hoped to increase the 750,000 Internet users to 1.5 million users in the country within the next five years.

The Government also wants to see the number of telephone subscribers in the country increase from the present 250 per 1,000 people to about 500 for every 1,000 people over the next five years.

He said the rates offered by Internet Service Providers (ISPs)--US$8.42 (RM32) for 20 hours of use in Malaysia was cheaper than the US$19.95 (RM75.81) and US$20.50 (RM77.90) charged for a similar period of usage in the United States and Singapore respectively.

Earlier in his speech, Tan said the institute's opening of a cybercafe was in line with the Government's efforts to encourage the use of the Internet in schools, institutes of higher learning and universities.

Tan, who was accompanied by Sabah MCA chairman Datuk Edward Khoo, was later taken around the institute by its executive director Dr Wilson Yong.