Blogger Disaman NST ~ Nukilan Jejari Azhad

Blogger Disaman NST

New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad dan beberapa orang pekerja kanannya, Syed Faizal Syed A.R.Albar (Chief Executive Officer), Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan (Deputy Chairman), Hishamuddin Aun (Group Editor in Chief) dan Brenden John a/l John Pereira (bekas Group Editor) telah menyaman dua orang blogger iaitu Ahirudin Atan pengendali Rocky's Bru dan Jeff Ooi pengendali Screenshots.

... Bloggers United dan Walk With Us diwujudkan ...

Perkara ini telah disahkan oleh Ahirudin Atan dan Jeff Ooi di blog masing-masing. Berbagai pihak dan individu telah membantah tindakan menyaman ini dan memberi sokongan kepada kedua-dua blogger tersebut. Kes ini amat menarik sekali kerana ianya akan menjadi landasan untuk menentukan tahap kebebasan menulis dan memberi pandangan yang boleh disuarakan oleh rakyat Malaysia. Di samping itu adakah saluran blogger akan disekat daripada menyampaikan berita dan cerita yang tidak dilaporkan oleh penerbitan arus perdana. Hanya masa akan menentukannya.

Ketika ini dua laman blog telah diwujudkan untuk melaporkan perkembangan perkara ini iaitu Blogger United dan Walk With Us. Pada masa yang sama kempen untuk memboikot suratkhabar terbitan NSTP telah dilancarkan oleh Shieh di Kickdefella. Sementara itu kedua-dua blogger terbabit juga sedang menyiapkan kes mereka melalui peguam masing-masing.

Berikut adalah kenyataan rasmi daripada Bloggers United;

This is the official statement of Bloggers United. This statement is jointly drafted by Susan Loone and Sheih of Kickdefella. All those who believe in justice and right to free speech, please sign on and put this up in your blogs. Spread it around; let it grow far and wide. The fight is on! See also Susan Loone.

BLOGGERS UNITED CONDEMN ACTION AGAINST ROCKY & JEFF & DEMAND LEVEL PLAYING FIELD in ALL ACTION AGAINST BLOGGERS

We, Malaysian bloggers, we, who believe in justice and right to free speech, we, who endorse the Bloggers United movement, unanimously condemn the action taken by media conglomerate NST against bloggers Rocky Bru and Jeff Ooi. The action by the newspaper against the duo is an action against all bloggers who believe in their right to free speech, freedom of expression and justice.

The recent event may seem like a grave development in the path of bloggers, but it can never and must never impede or stop us from defending our right to speak, to express, to write and to tell the truth, to be the watchdog, eyes and ears of the people, or simply to share our view, and give fair comment on any subject which involves and affects us as humans, as rightful citizens of this country.

The recent event may very well give the government owned media the opportunity to dictate the so-called ‘truth” but such actions only prove that bloggers must unite, continue to uphold the right to free speech and freedom of expression, fight for justice, even if it is not our own, be more alert, committed to the cause of free speech, relentless and persistence in the face of such persecution like the one which had befallen on the two of us.

What YOU do to any of US, is what YOU do to ALL.

As responsible bloggers, we demand and claim our space on the blogosphere for free and fair comment, where important national issues and prominent personalities are discussed.

Although it may seem as if the NSTP defamation suits will have a chilling effect on freedom of bloggers, as litigation can be expensive and may jeorpadise a blogger’s economic position, we will not be cowed or silenced by those who have no regard for free speech.

If you find our post offensive, you may refute us with correct facts and figures and fair comment, in the spirit of free speech.

The first two cases will have grave impact not only on the internet, but country as a whole as the country celebrates VMY2007. The healthy, mature and democratic growth for free speech and expression in our midst is at stake. The reputation of the nation as it strives to promote our multimedia supercorridor and love for IT will be a national joke for all the world to feast on.

We demand for a level playing field in all action meted out to bloggers and in particular in the defamation proceedings particularly in terms of financial resources and capabilities, and secondly, that the legal rights of bloggers et al are properly protected in keeping with the imperatives of an information society and knowledge economy which Malaysia aspires to become.

For further information, please contact blogger susan loone at susanloone@gmail.com and sheih at kickdefella@yahoo.com

Updated @ 24 May 2007

Pada 19 Mei 2007 yang baru lalu satu perjumpaan rasmi Bloggers United Malaysia telah diadakan di Lake View Club, Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Laman blog BUM2007 mempunyai ceritanya.