Kuala Lumpur  - The Malaysian government is planning to install a filter to block pornographic websites, a Malaysian minister said Friday while dismissing criticisms that the move was the start of other forms of internet censorship.

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim said the government hoped the system would reduce Malaysian children's exposure to pornography.

"We will attempt to put in this filtering system because the safety of our children from pornography cannot be compromised, Rais told reporters.

Malaysia's move would go against its pledge to not censor the internet when it launched a high-tech zone modeled on California's Silicon Valley in 1996.

Rais slammed critics of the proposed filter, tagging them as "liberals and supporters of liberalism."

"Look at the situation of countries which had fallen victim to widespread pornography, resulting in child sex," he was quoted as saying by the Star online news portal. "We must attempt to stop this. The government is looking into ways to overcome this."

Rais said the filter system was purely to block pornography and said others who break the law on the internet would have to answer to the country's laws in apparent reference to several anti-government bloggers who have recently been hauled to court after being accused of posting seditious comments on their websites.

Rais' announcement raised an outcry on online political blogs and websites, most of which are anti-government, with bloggers claiming the move was a way to clamp down on dissenting views.

Several media reports have quoted sources as saying Prime Minister Najib Razak was expected to decide on the company responsible for the filtering system by December. (dpa)