CIJ has been a of the amendment, pointing out that hackers could impersonate others to post material intended to draw the attention of law enforcement. The group contends there are already four other laws that can be used to prosecute those accused of fraud, defamation or sedition.

Chin said the heavy-handed amendment could easily be rescinded by Parliament. The Dewan Rakyat, or the House of Representatives, is scheduled to resume session on Sept. 24, with the Senate, called the Dewan Negara, to resume on Dec. 3. Alternatively, the cabinet could issue an order to Malaysia's attorney general to not enforce the amendment, Chin said.

Malaysia's efforts to control the Internet are not unlike efforts in other countries, where governments don't "know how to handle the free flow of information," Chin said.