Bangsar, 1 Aug: Another potential lawsuit, which may well lead to a counter-suit, involves the beleaguered (although some prefer belligerent) Tourism Malaysia former chairman Wee Choo Keong, 70, whose blog has been taken down by the MCMC, the authority in charge of regulating and promoting the telecommunications and multimedia industry.
In a strongly-worded letter to the MCMC Wee, a lawyer and former MP, has given the authority an ultimatum to “unblock my blog or see you in coourt”.
Excerpts from the news report:
"Kindly take notice that if our client's blog continues to be blocked and remains inaccessible for service of this letter, our instructions are to file proceedings against you and/or your minister and/or the government of Malaysia, without prejudice to a claim for compensation or damages.
"Our client hopes that it will not be necessary for him to resort to legal action if you act with due dispatch within the above time frame to comply with his demands."
I’ve always been amazed, when not perplexed, by Wee’s combative nature. The blocking of his blog, therefore, did not come as a surprise. I’m not privy to why exactly the MCMC has blocked his blog but fellow bloggers have suggested it may have something to do with his incessant attacks on a former Tourism Malaysia chairman and people associated with the individual.
The MCMC is not obliged to inform anyone prior to blocking a site or a blog deemed “undesirable” or to have flouted the law. In fact they could, if they so decide, invite themselves (in the company of the police) to your home or office and confiscate your equipment which they believed have been used to post stuff considered defamatory or seditious or undesirable. You can challenge them, of course, this is a free country. I did in 2010, when they took my Ferrari but I didn’t sue them. I guess that’s because I’m a journalist.
Wee did not stop at the ultimatum. In the sane letter to the MCMC, his lawyers reportedly accuse the MCMC of acting like a “secret society” even though Malaysia is a “civil society”. I think that’s where things will go sideways and where Wee can expect to get a letter of demand from Cyberjaya soon.
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