Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Fund To Help Bloggers Facing Legal Action.

A legal fund will soon be set up to provide financial assistance for bloggers who face legal action, such as the defamation suits by the New Straits Times Press (M) Sdn Bhd (NSTP) against bloggers Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin Attan.

Speaking at a press conference held by the Centre of Independent Journalism (CIJ) here Tuesday, Ooi said the legal fund was an initiative made by fellow bloggers and would be taken care of by people with good reputations.

"The proceeds will not only be used to protect bloggers against suits but also to provide training workshops in the field of investigative journalism for bloggers, subject to the approval of the trustees."

According to Ahirudin, possible trustees for the fund include the former Prime Minister’s daughter Marina Mahathir and former NSTP group editor-in-chief A. Kadir Jasin.

Ooi added that the unprecedented move by NSTP to sue bloggers had created a climate of fear in the blogosphere but had also provided opportunities for positive ramifications.

On Thursday, the court is to hear an interparte application for an injunction on Ahirudin, while Ooi’s interparte application hearing will be on Jan 30.

Ooi, who also has an exparte injunction against him to remove allegedly defamatory postings on his Screenshots blog, described the case as the first time in Malaysian history that ownership of "opinion space" was being subjected to a court of law. (TheStar)
Image - source

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2 Comments:

Blogger warrior2 said...

Why should there be fear if I may ask? There is fear if you overstep certain lines!

Are we saying, bloggers have an absolute right, under the excuse/cover of freedom of speech, to write on anything AND the subjects of our writings HAVE NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER TO TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION?

i dont have any issue with the fund, my issue are the reasons/excuses given by concerned bloggers!

6:10 PM GMT+8  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is hamsap warrior so hate our blogger. Beeter you go and donate money for the fight of our bloggers. Always talk nonsense.

9:38 PM GMT+8  

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