NSTP gets injunction to remove blog postings

[BlackSamurai]

source:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/1/19/nation/16618939&sec=nation

NSTP gets injunction to remove blog postings
By SHAILA KOSHY and ROYCE CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) has obtained an exparte injunction ordering blogger Jeff Ooi to remove allegedly defamatory postings in relation to it on his blog Screenshots.

The injunction, granted by High Court Justice Abdul Malik Ishak on Jan 11, states that the said 13 postings from Feb 16 to Dec 4, 2006, have to be removed from his blog by Jan 17.

The injunction also restrains Ooi, whether by himself, or through his employees and agents from republishing the said postings in his blogs or the world wide web, until the disposal of the company’s defamation suit against him.

The NSTP, however, failed to get a similar exparte injunction against blogger Ahirudin Attan for allegedly defamatory postings on his blog Rocky’s Bru.

High Court Justice Hishamuddin Yunus, who heard the application, would hear an interparte application for the injunction on Jan 25.

Ahirudin was instead served a letter dated Jan 11 giving notice that a libel suit had been filed against him and that an application for interim relief would be made on Jan 25.

He was also served the summons in chambers that included a list of 48 allegedly defamatory postings from June 8 to Oct 27, last year.

The suit against Ooi was filed by NSTP and its deputy chairman Datuk Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan, Group Editor in Chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun and former Group Editor Brenden John a/l John Pereira.
The same plaintiffs have sued Ahirudin, with NSTP chief executive officer Datuk Syed Faisal Syed A. R. Albar as an additional plaintiff.

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, counsel for Ooi, said: “My client now has the option of setting aside the injunction or letting it lapse naturally (an exparte injunction is only valid for 21 days from the date it is granted).”

The court has fixed Jan 30 for an interparte hearing of the application for an injunction against Ooi.

...

 

[Tohsan]

BS taiko

Do u know the defamation posting was related to which matters or not ?

 

[invisibleghost]

Bloggers unite in protest over NSTP suits
Soon Li Tsin
Jan 19, 07 4:14pm
www.malaysiakini.com

A virtual protest is mushrooming in the Malaysian blogopshere after it was revealed that New Straits Times Press (NSTP) had filed a civil suit against two bloggers.

Calling themselves ‘Bloggers United, No Fear’, the movement is the brainchild of blogger Syed Azidi Al-Bukhary, who is better known as Sheih.

Sheih, 36 said he created the ‘Bloggers United’ badge as a symbol of solidarity amongst bloggers after learning of the suits filed against Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan.

The badge depicts a finger on a computer key with the words ‘Bloggers United, No Fear’ on the side and a Malaysian flag on the surface.

Ooi and Ahirudin revealed in their respective blogs yesterday that they were served with papers by lawyers representing NSTP over postings in their blogs that were deemed defamatory.

Ex-parte injunction

Ahirudin who runs Rocky’s Bru is being sued by NSTP, its deputy chairperson Kalimullah Hassan, chief executive officer Syed Faisal Albar, group editor-in-chief Hishamudin Aun and former group editor Brendan Pereira.

Meanwhile, Ooi who operates Screenshots is being sued by NSTP, Kalimullah, Hishamuddin and Pereira.

The applicants are also seeking for an injunction and removal of various blog posts. The hearing is set for Jan 25 and Jan 30 respectively.

According to the Star, NSTP obtained an exparte injunction ordering Ooi to remove the alleged defamatory postings on his blog.

The injunction, granted by High Court Justice Abdul Malik Ishak on Jan 11, states that the said 13 postings from Feb 16 to Dec 4, 2006, have to be removed from his blog by Jan 17.

The injunction also restrains Ooi, whether by himself, or through his employees and agents from republishing the said postings in his blogs or web, until the disposal of the company’s defamation suit against him.

NSTP, however, failed to get a similar exparte injunction against Ahirudin.

Overwhelming response

Meanwhile, Sheh - who is famous for his political posters parodying politicians on his site Kickdefella - said the movement is not aimed at regulating bloggers.

“The badge is meant to tell the bloggers to stick together and act as a silent protest. We will continue to fight for our freedom of expression,” he said.

The trained film-maker and teacher explained that ‘Bloggers United’ is a virtual organisation and aims to educate bloggers about their rights and blogging ethics.
“A lot of bloggers don’t have journalism background. We want to hold conferences, teach them to be responsible and want them to use their real names to add to their credibility,” he said.

Launched on Jan 13, the movement has received overwhelming response with the badge being displayed in more than 60 known blogs.

Also involved in the movement, blogger Susan Loone, 44, speculated that the mainstream press may come together and assert their powers over bloggers.

“The mainstream (media) are protecting themselves from their falling ratings and more people are turning to blogs for information.

“They can’t beat the online media so now they take on the bloggers,” added Loone, who is based in Bangkok.

She said the badge is getting international recognition after appearing on a Norwegian site.

In their first statement released today, ‘Bloggers United’ demanded for a level playing field in all action meted out to bloggers in defamation proceedings particularly in terms of financial resources and capabilities.

They are also asking for legal rights for bloggers to be properly protected.

In other developments, comments left in various blogs including Ooi’s and Ahirudin’s are calling for a boycott of NSTP papers and its blog, Monsterblog.

 

[BlackSamurai]

Tohsan taikor,

I'm not very sure, but I think it's about the merger between NTSP and Utusan Melayu. Jeff Ooi blogged his comment about the merger with the share price statistic he capture from Star Biz.

Jeff Ooi's written in his blog
source: http://www.jeffooi.com/

GOLDEN HARVEST. Now that the NeST-UM merger has been aborted, I am gonna look at the counters.


Merger or no merger, ever wonder who have made the best harvest in one month after news of the merger broke last December?

The last one month...

​

From RM1.60+ to RM2.90+ for NSTP, and from RM.90+ to RM1.90+ for Utusan, who were laughing all the way to the bank?

I can hear the 70-year-old man chuckling at the back: "There are (only) about a hundred 'thinking Malaysians' out there among a population of 25 milliion..."

NSTP, Utusan down after merger deal off

UPDATES: Via The Edge Daily: NSTP was the top loser with 32 sen or 12.85% to RM2.17 with 1.62 million shares done while Utusan gave up 23 sen or 15.65% to RM1.24 with 1.2 million units traded at 9.33am.

I'm not Econ nor Biz grad, but I think the pictures and the comment pissed NSTP and UMNO (or the 70-year-old man) off.

 

[BlackSamurai]

my concern is, will Mercedes/Cycle & Carriage file me the same law suit if I have a blog with subject, "My Mercedes SL500 almost kill me in recent accident!"?

will steven corner's boss do the same thing to me (or my blog space) if I post a blog with the subject, "Steven corner food sucks all the time!" ?

or Proton file me a law suit if I complain that "my state-of-the-art CAMPRO engine blast a big hole while I'm cruising at 30KMH" in my blog space with picture and juicy contents?

 

[BlackSamurai]

worst still, this thing may extend to forum.

What if I start a thread in ZTH with the subject, "My brand new Savvy can't give RM0.08 per KM FC, Proton -- the big liar!!",
immediately after that, Proton file a law suit, warn ZTH's mod to removed the thread or they get the court paper to shut ZTH down?

I believe you guys still remember what happen to the incident where someone posted the "WRM" before the official launching? (heck, you drove it on the public road for testing and I'm not allow to snap it and post it in Internet?!!

not that i crossed your fender, sneak inside your closed circuit and sell it to third party for some juicy money!)

 

[Tohsan]

dam talkabout freedom of speech,its more like we are living in stone age mentality,the fucking government is walking backward more, its total control of speech,no more restricted freedom of speech. They think rakyat are stupid,think again he is also one of us. What goes around comes around.

 

[EG8]

These days, even Internet have their own police.

i knew that the Cyber Crime Division in Bukit Aman do have some personels to monitor certain forums/blogs in Malaysia

So think twice before commenting on certain sensitive issues.

If you think that those scenes where FBI squads come down knocking your gates and say hello and read your right as part of Hollywood propaganda, think twice.It has happened in Singapore, and I am sure it can happened here in Malaysia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/167812/1/.html

Two bloggers charged under Sedition Act over racist remarks
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 12 September 2005 1255 hrs







SINGAPORE : Two bloggers have been charged with sedition for posting racist comments online.

This is the first time bloggers are being charged in Singapore and it is sending shockwaves through the local blogging community.

Lawyers say the last time the sedition act was invoked in Singapore was at least 10 years ago.

Twenty-five-year-old Nicholas Lim Yew and 27-year-old Benjamin Koh Song Huat are being accused of posting racist comments on an online forum and on their blog site.

They are both being charged with committing a seditious act, by promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between races in Singapore.

They were not represented by defence lawyers and were granted bail of S$10,000 each.

This charge came as a shock to many in the blogging community.

Said Singaporean blogger Benjamin Lee (Mr Miyagi):" A lot of them will be looking at their blogs and wondering if they made any legally seditious remarks. I think because of the way this will be played up, it's negative publicity for the Singapore blogging community."

"Currently if you surf the net you will come across a lot of bloggers making such comments. You will probably see a drop in such cases henceforth. At the moment I am not aware of any cases except of a case in Iran where bloggers are charged. But Iran has a different legal system from Singapore," said Leonard Loo, managing partner of Leonard Loo & Co Advocates & Solicitors.

Channel NewsAsia understands that the Media Development Authority had asked host servers to remove a racist blog from the web.

Police are now investigating this matter.

While many racist blogs by Singaporeans can be found online, the blogging community is also quick to criticize any racist comments.

Channel NewsAsia has received many emails from viewers informing us about a few racist sites.

Viewers said they were "appalled as well as disappointed that a Singaporean could condemn" other fellow Singaporeans of a different race.

Lawyers warn that anybody who forwards seditious remarks to others via email can also be charged with abetment.

The case is expected to be heard in court again on September 21.

A person is deemed to have committed an offence under the Sedition Act if he performs any act which has a seditious tendency, or conspires with any person to do so.

It is also an offence to utter any seditious words or to print, publish, sell, distribute, reproduce or import any seditious publication.

First time offenders can be fined up to S$5,000, or jailed up to three years, or both.

For subsequent offences, they can be jailed up to five years and have their seditious publications forfeited and destroyed. - CNA /ct/ls

 

[EcstacyElmo]

proton unlikely la
so often get defective cars like mine, they cant say my blog or post is fake la...
for really sensitiive parties only, who think the world revolves around them

 

[satria_95]

its more like we are living in stone age mentality,the fucking government is walking backward more

During Tun M's time, he once said that malaysia is living with a stone age mentallity. I kinda feel that it's starting to show a lot more obvious now. Of course, it's only for those who has a stone age mentallity and it seems that it's the govt that are. haha

Freedom of speech, even on internet, is gone. Which means, you have lost one part of your freedom.