BINTULU: Malaysia will prevent the online distribution of the movie "Innocence of Muslims" which has raised the ire of Muslims worldwide for insulting Prophet Muhammad and Islam, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim on Saturday.

He said Malaysia would follow the move adopted by Islamic countries in the Middle East and Indonesia.

"I've instructed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to discuss the matter with the relevant authorities and ban the access of the movie trailer via YouTube and other channels," he told reporters after closing the ICT literacy workshop for Bintulu community leaders at the 1Malaysia Internet Centre in Kampung Penan Muslim, here, Bernama said.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been quoted as saying that the movie should be banned in Malaysia.

Rais said the ban served as a warning to all parties locally and abroad that the government would not tolerate any negative elements touching upon racial and religious sensitivities, Bernama reported.

In KUALA LUMPUR, MCMC said it has sought the cooperation of foreign parties to block the film from being accessed in Malaysia.

Chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said it took immediate action when the film was slammed by Muslims worldwide.

"Since the footage was from abroad, we need technical help from overseas and this will take some time," he told Bernama when contacted Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported from SAN FRANSISCO that Google Inc has rejected a request by the White House on Friday to reconsider its decision to keep online a controversial YouTube movie clip that has ignited anti-American protests in the Middle East.

The Internet company said it was censoring the video in India and Indonesia after blocking it on Wednesday in Egypt and Libya, where US embassies have been stormed by protestors enraged over an offensive depiction of the Prophet Mohammad.

In Los Angeles on Thursday, a 55-year old man, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who is thought to have uploaded the Youtube clip using the pseudonym “Sam Bacile”, was placed under police protection following the protests.

The video clip of the movie “Innocence of Muslims” sparked protests on Thursday against the American Embassies in Egypt and Yemen, and led to demonstrations in Iraq, Iran, Tunisia and Bangladesh.

An earlier attack on the American consulate in Libya on Tuesday, which killed the US Ambassador and three other foreign service workers, was at first thought to be linked to the protests, but investigators reportedly said that they now suspect it was an extremist plot.

Related Stories:
M'sia ups security around US Embassy after anti-Islam film protests
Muhyiddin condemns film insulting the Prophet Muhammad
Group protests against anti-Islam video in front of American Embassy
Umno, PAS hit out at US movie

• Adrian Cheng: updating a Hong Kong family empire for a changing China
• Wall Street Week Ahead: Correction talk gets old as rally sails along
• China April housing inflation quickens to two year high
• EU cites Chinese telecoms Huawei and ZTE for trade violations
• Yahoo to vote on $1.1 billion Tumblr buy: AllThingsD
• Dow, S&P end at records, stocks mark fourth week of gains
• CEO: Catcha Media won’t be taken private - for now
• Sarawak politically-linked stocks rally
• Jala: GST could add up to RM27b to country’s income
• Analysts say UMW Holdings’ O&G offering was widely anticipated
• Matrix Concepts’ IPO oversubscribed by 11.3 times
• Instacom wins RM200m job?
• SFSS set to be largest shareholder of Bintulu Port
• Northport buys two new quay cranes
• Bursa Malaysia closes on Friday

• Thailand's Red Shirts mark deadly crackdown
• Pakistan's Imran blames rival for killing
• Karachi voters back at polls after ballot stuffing
• Philippines waiting for Taiwan anger to cool
• Russia retrieves mice, newts from space
• 29 killed in South Sudan cattle raid
• Saudi woman creates history by scaling Everest
• Lotto fever strikes US as jackpot swells (Updated)
• Pakistani politician gunned down in Karachi
• Dozens hurt in US road accident, say reports

• Shaky start for favourites China
• Chong Wei continues to stay focused despite all the changes
• Apacs extend Chun Seang’s contract for another year
• Denmark’s Hoyer is new president of the BWF
• Indonesian coach: Individual sponsorship will revive our shuttlers’ fortunes
• Thongchai faces McDowell in Match-Play climax
• Golf: Griffin wins fog-bound SK Telecom Open
• Golf: Choi edges sizzling Nordqvist for LPGA lead
• Poulter angry with himself after World Match-Play exit
• Inconsistent and uncomfortable but Bradley still ahead of pack
• Korda holds off charging Webb to seize the lead
• McIlroy splits with management to go it alone
• Hall of Famer Venturi dies at age 82
• Briton Redding wins French Moto2 GP
• Hafizh struggling with new Kalex bike in Le Mans

• Please wait.

• Be wary of banking Trojans
• Bring back English schools
• My home, my school
• Security guards 'chopped up like meat' at Cheras condo
• Expert: Be very sure you need a mastectomy
• Blind man wants to raise awareness on retinal diseases
• Bring back English schools
• Home garden talk a hit with Malaysians
• Greying China taps rural elderly to care for those even older
• My teacher, my friend