Internet commentators played a key role in recent general elections by catering to voters who wanted an alternative source of news besides television and newspapers, Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek told reporters late on Friday.

'If there is something newsworthy, I don't see anything wrong in them posting it,' the national news agency Bernama and New Straits Times daily quoted Ahmad Shabery as saying. 'Everyone has the freedom to use the blogs as an information distribution centre.'

The remarks by Mr Ahmad Shabery, who took over the ministry on Wednesday, reflect a softening in the government's stance toward bloggers. His predecessor and other officials have repeatedly criticised bloggers and warned that new laws could be crafted to rein in bloggers who dispense malicious or false rumours that could stir tensions.

Some of Malaysia's most popular blogs offer political commentaries that include criticism of government policies, presenting themselves as a substitute to mainstream media that are controlled by or closely linked to ruling political parties.

Opposition groups credit the Internet for helping to convince voters to turn against the ruling National Front coalition in March 8 elections. The coalition stayed in power, but lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and retained control of only eight of Malaysia's 13 states amid public dissatisfaction over rising prices, corruption and racial and religious tensions.

Mr Ahmad Shabery said he planned to meet with bloggers soon to 'better understand their sentiments and give them an avenue to express themselves,' the New Straits Times reported.

'Bloggers' views cannot be ignored,' he said. 'We've overlooked their roles and failed to understand their feelings.'

Ministry officials could not immediately be contacted, but many Malaysian bloggers welcomed Mr Ahmad Shabery's comments.

'Way to go, Mr Info. Minister,' wrote blogger S.K. Thew. 'I'm here to give you the benefit of doubt since you've shown the courage to engage us.'

Worries about online freedom mounted last year after a government-linked newspaper filed defamation lawsuits against two prominent bloggers for posting allegedly libelous statements about the paper's editors and executives.

Separately, an opposition party blogger was detained by police for five days over comments posted on his Web site linking a deputy minister to corruption. -- AP