In a move to connect with their technology-savvy consti- tuents, Members of Parliament are increasingly plugging into the Internet and taking to "blogging". Many have begun to realise that they can engage a wider and younger audience by riding the Internet wave, because younger Malaysians are comfortable online.They are finding that web logs or blogs are an effective way of making known their stand and feelings on issues and ideas. Since it is also an interactive medium, they can get a finger on the pulse of younger Malaysians. The ultimate aim, of course, is to score points with voters. DAP MPs, being quick to see the advantage of going right into the homes of their constituents via the Internet, are the most active bloggers. Among DAP leaders who blog are Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang, Kepong MP Tan Seng Giaw, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan. Only one BN leader, Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Shahrir Samad, has a blog. His www.shahrir-umno. blogspot.com was set up in April this year. It contains mostly news reports and his activities. Shahrir said his BN counterparts had probably not gone into blogging because of different priorities. He said he set up his blog after realising there was a growing and vocal e-community in Malaysia that should be tapped. However, the Johor Baru MP admitted he had not been contributing much to his blog due to time constraints and his heavy workload. His blog is being updated by one of his assistants. Opposition leader Lim said not all MPs were aware of the advantages of the Internet. Lim, who started his blog at »blog.limkitsiang.com last August, said blogging provided a good platform for him to interact with the Internet-savvy community, he was able to get his views read and obtain feedback, he added. He said one reason Opposition MPs turned to blogging was to reach a wider group of Malaysians, as they were not getting the coverage they wanted from the media. Full article News Straits Times