ELEVEN websites have so far been blocked for having obscene materials and seditious messages, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Dr Mohd Ruddin Abdul Ghani said.

Besides blocking the websites and blogs, he said the ministry has also drawn up long-term programmes in collaboration with CyberSecurity Malaysia to boost awareness on cyber security among computer buffs.

To begin with, the www.esecurity.org.my website was launched recently, he told the Dewan Negara.

Dr Mohd Ruddin said it was not difficult to block websites and blogs compared with emails featuring advertisements and pornography.

He said there was no proper mechanism to check such material spreading through e-mails, but the authorities could control and halt blogs.

"However, the Cabinet will not obstruct the movement of information in the Internet because of the Bill of Guarantee, which promised free-flow of information when the Multimedia Super Corridor was first set up," he said.

Meanwhile, Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohamed Johari Baharom said efforts to improve the investigations and prosecution abilities of the police included providing them with more professional training and improving relevant laws.

"Agencies within the police have been given the latest training programmes, while the training divisions in Bukit Aman and the state police contingents have been restructured to develop better human resources within the police," he said when replying to Senator Datuk Chew Vun Ming.

Johari said police officers have also been sent for forensic courses in the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, International Law Enforcement Academy and the Victoria Forensic Science Centre.