Since nomination day, Harakahdaily has come under severe DDOS (distributed denial of service) attacks. But lately, our IT team found that there was more to it.
Having tested broadband services from all local internet service providers (ISP), we discovered that only YES4G and Time Internet have no problems accessing our web.
Users of ISPs such as TM Broadband, Unifi, Streamyx, Maxis, Celcom and Digi however have complained of unusually slow speed when accessing the Harakahdaily portal.
A pageview chart screened by us also revealed that connection was being 'dropped' every now and then when using these ISPs.
“If the matter is true, such dirty tactics must be stopped. ISPs should focus on their job to deliver the best service to its customers any desired websites without restriction,” said Zulkifli Sulong, Harakahdaily's editor-in-chief.
Harakahdaily is not alone. Malaysiakini’s IT team reportedly observed similar trend. The portal today questioned whether ISPs had been ordered to reduce access or restrict some websites.
Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran was equally serious in urging ISPs to butt out of politics.
"ISPs should stay out of politics and make sure their staff do not follow illegal instructions which undermine the accessibility of their networks. They should also ensure shared gateways are free of tampering and restrictions," said Premesh.
Harakahdaily’s readership has meanwhile overtaken other major news sites, including UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia's internet edition.
As a precaution to future attacks, all our news will be also posted in full on our popular Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/harakahdaily.
“Users who find it hard to access our portal, please tell your friends to get our news from our Facebook page as well,” said Zulkifli. -HD
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Question mark over local ISPs playing politics
About sabahdaily
"GE13 will be Malaysia's first social media election and the role of social media has been greatly encouraged openness among the people" Prime Minister Datuk Seri najib Tun Razak
ReplyDeleteDAP launched its free internet TV channel, Ubah TV even as the ground heats up ahead of the 2013 general election.
ReplyDelete“We rely on Ubah TV to break the monopoly of lies and distortion by BN. We are not sure if we can break it but we must create a space for all parties to give their views and perspectives,” Lim Guan Eng
Recently the latest development where the opposition leaders suing editors, journalists and media organizations, is a matter of concern to media practitioners in the country. The intensity of the summons against mainstream media is getting high especially in the run up of the coming 13th General Election
ReplyDeleteAlthough any political leaders have the right to sue any media if they think there are grounds to do so, sometime the rational of such action can be questionable.
The action to sue the mainstream media like Utusan Malaysia and private television channel TV3 by the opposition is seen as a form of extreme discrimination
This is because on one part, the opposition leaders shout about guaranteeing media freedom as underscore in their election manifesto but at the same time they wantonly take legal action against the media.
The contradicting act is called oxymoron or failure to walk the talk in media freedom.
According to media reports, the amount of summons filed by opposition leader against the media since 2008 has reached RM1 billion, a record amount in the journalism fraternity in the country.
ReplyDeleteThere appear to be no escape for journalists of all media channels – electronic, print and the new media.
Whether the amount of summons being filed commensurate with the ‘offence’ committed by the media or not, is also questionable.
There is the paradox of the opposition leaders which claim to champion media freedom if they are in power as if there is no freedom at all under the present leadership.
Incidents where mainstream media become the target of anger and hatred as well as the cynical action of opposition leaders, are public knowledge.
At the Dewan Keadilan of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) a notice was visibly written banning journalist from Utusan Malaysia and TV3 in covering media conference of the PKR adviser recently.
ReplyDeleteThe is an eye-opener to the real face of those who pretend to defend media freedom but harassed the media rights when their interest and dark side are exposed.
Journalists being shouted at, insulted, disparage and humiliated in pubic is common when come to covering the opposition leaders.
The opposition leaders for example treat the mainstream media very harshly in responding to their questions but not journalists from the pro-opposition news portal.
In fact recently, at the media conference on the allegation that Anwar was involved and complicit in the armed incursion by a band of Sulu terrorists in Lahad Datu, he threatened to sue a reporter from the Agendadaily news portal if he repeats his question: “You repeat (the question), I will sue you.”
Anwar will blow his top at any media who dare to ask him question that touch on his character and alleged immoral act.
Even as Opposition Chief, he already showed his arrogance. Imagine what kind of treatment will the media get if he is to be the Prime Minister?
The opposition leaders in the country appear to be following in the footstep of Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew who bankrupted his political foes through legal suits.
ReplyDeleteIt is feared that media freedom enjoyed by the media industry in the country will go to the dog if the Pakatan Rakyat comes into power.
This concern is not without basis because the opposition has aspired “to rescind all laws that suppressed media freedom and create prejudices, including the Printing and Publication Act, media licensing procedure and etc,” as outlined in the opposition election manifesto.”
In the opinion of this writer, the opposition’s proposal to write off the current laws which is more of supervisory, is not for the purpose of media freedom but instead to put pressure on the industry and strangle its activities.
Without any legal framework that can be the term of reference by the government as well as media practitioners, Pakatan Rakyat can do as it wish against media organizations including banning and close their operation.
The main target will surely be the mainstream media which the opposition regards as the torn on its side.
As such, sweet promise of the opposition on freedom of the press is only a rhetoric and will not help in enhancing community consciousness on the role of media in the country.
U ULANG I SAMAN..
ReplyDeleteLAIN KALI LAH PR OKEY.
Media memainkan peranan penting untuk mempengaruhi persepsi masyarakat terhadap sesuatu isu yang akhirnya menentukan kepimpinan di dalam sesebuah negara.
ReplyDeleteDi dalam negara demokrasi, ia perlu memastikan setiap rakyat bermaklumat untuk memastikan rakyat boleh membuat pemilihan yang tepat semasa pengundian pemilihan pemimpin di dalam pilihanraya.
ReplyDeleteMaklumat yang diperolehi mesti tepat dan benar tanpa manipulasi untuk kepentingan pihak-pihak tertentu. Maklumat yang salah diterima oleh masyarakat akan menyebabkan rakyat tidak boleh memilih secara tepat dan akhirnya memundurkan negara.
ReplyDeleteUmumnya, terdapat tiga kategori media, pertama media cetak. Media cetak terbahagi kepada dua kategori iaitu media cetak edaran seperti akhbar, majalah dan media cetak statik seperti papan tanda (billboard).
ReplyDeleteKategori media kedua adalah media elektronik penyiaran seperti siaran tv dan radio dan ketiga adalah media siber seperti akhbar internet, blog, twitter dan sebagainya.
ReplyDeleteSecara dasarnya kesemua media ini dikawal oleh kerajaan yang memerintah kecuali media siber yang sukar dikawal kerana kemajuan teknologi menyebabkan internet melintasi sempadan secara pantas dengan kemudahan peralatan seperti komputer dan talipun pintar (smart phone).
ReplyDeleteThe police are monitoring the print and online social media for inaccurate and false content, especially that which may affect the credibility and integrity of the police force.
ReplyDeleteFederal commercial crimes investigations department (CCID) head Commissioner Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said the initiative called Integrated Media Action Plan (IMEP), would scour the print, electronic media and the internet for such content.
ReplyDeleteHe said if such content was found, police would respond by clarifying the inaccuracies through the Royal Malaysia Police's official Facebook account or other media sources.
ReplyDeleteHe said IMEP has been in operation since last year, and efforts are currently being intensified with the approaching general election, where the internet is being extensively utilised to disseminate news and information.
ReplyDelete"There are 25 keywords used to look for such postings online. This effort is not to curtail but to ensure the accuracy of information published. Everybody is free to say what they want but they have to be responsible for their posting and it should conform to the laws of the country." he said.
ReplyDeleteACP Ramli Mohammed Yoosuf from the federal police public relations department said baseless news, allegations or rumours posted online can cause undue anxiety and confusion among the public.
ReplyDelete"Instead of publishing such news and making all sorts of allegations, these individuals should come forward and officially lodge reports for the police to investigate and establish its accuracy. This is our advice, otherwise they face consequences in accordance with the law for posting false information to confuse and cause unrest among the public." he said.
ReplyDeleteRamli said as of Sunday, a total of 2,035 police reports have been lodged nationwide in connection with the 13th General Election. He added that 65 people have also been arrested for offences including arson, assault and criminal intimidation.
ReplyDeleteMasing-masing memainkan peranan untuk memastikan PRU yang bersih, amanah dan terbuka.
ReplyDeleteMedia dan laporan Internet cukup membawa impak yang besar dan tidak terjangka.
ReplyDeleteDon't miss use the freedom about the internet services. The report should refer to fact and truth.
ReplyDeleteAn initial probe has shown no access restrictions by internet providers but high visitor traffic could be causing congestion to certain sites, Malaysia’s internet regulatorsaid tonight.
ReplyDeleteThe Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it had begun investigating several complaints on access restriction “purportedly carried out by Internet Service Providers (ISPs).”
Early investigations indicate no such restrictions by ISPs but the congestion in affected sites could be due to a spike in visitors that is “related to GE13” in the past few days, the MCMC said in a statement.
ReplyDelete“So far we have only received one official complaint on Monday, April 29 2013, from UMNO Online claiming that its readers faced difficulty in accessing the portal. However, we are still waiting for an official complaint from Malaysiakini on the same matter,” said Sheikh Raffie Abd Rahman, who is the commission’s strategic communications chief.
He said MCMC viewed the allegations of access restriction by ISPs seriously as those found to so would face action under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for breaching their licence conditions.
ReplyDeleteIn the statement, MCMC advised the public to not jump to conclusions before a thorough investigation has been completed.
“There are several possibilities that could affect quality of service, such as issues relating to network routing and capacity constraints due to an increase in the number of people accessing those particular websites.
ReplyDelete“It is also possible that some of these websites experienced DDOS attacks. The root of the problem is difficult to ascertain without conducting a comprehensive network audit.,” MCMC said in the statement, referring to distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks experienced by several websites including The Malaysian Insider.
The commission said local ISPs have been advised to step up their respective network security levels two weeks ago in order to avoid any service disruption.
ReplyDelete