KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): Netizens are rallying around The Malaysian Insider (TMI), which was blocked by Putrajaya earlier today, with many pointing out alternative ways to access the news portal.

Human rights lawyer Michelle Yesudas said it was a case of “hello from the other side”, pointing out that the news site was accessible on mirror site www.themalaysianoutsider.com.

Her tweet read: “HELLO from the other side to MCMC @tm_insider.”

Using her twitter handle @chelle_yesudas, she added: “On a serious note, although leaders are appointed to 'keep the peace', vetting what information we are able to access is not your job.”

Another Twitter user, Alicia Izharuddin @AIiciaIz posted: “I know of people who work in MCMC who don't read anything but NST & selected major US news portals. Blocking of @tm_insider prob means "nada" (means nothing in Spanish).”

Selangor state speaker Hannah Yeoh, tagging the story about the website being blocked, wrote in her Facebook post, “What would be next? Facebook? Internet?”

Then there were those keen to redirect readers to alternative ways to access the news portal including Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, who had this to say: “Malaysian Insider dah kena block dgn MCMC. Mcm nak jadi Police State aje.... Sila Guna wordpress free domain... fb.me/95LAdwDMW (Malaysian Insider has been blocked by MCMC. It's like we are becoming a police state. Please use its Wordpress free domain).

Publisher Ezra Zaid took to Facebook to say: “If you have trouble accessing The Malaysian Insider, please go to their FB page.”

Social media user Jason Ng wrote on Facebook: “Still able to log in The Malaysian Insider for now for certain Internet operators, but how about tomorrow? Someone is hoping all rakyat are blind, dumb, mute so that Malaysia can be lawless.”

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said today the website was blocked for breaching Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which dealt with the abuse of communications networks.

The Internet regulator also warned other news portals not to publish unverified articles as it could cause confusion and create an unwarranted situation.

The statement, however, did not say how TMI had flouted Section 233.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan took to Twitter to question MCMC's actions with his post: “An offence under Section 233, if committed, means the person will be charged in court. Court decides, not MCMC.

“In fact, the prosecution is not done by MCMC but the public prosecutor. MCMC just investigates.”