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
Meanwhile Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has wrote this,
“Saya telah berhubung dengan Rocky dan Jeff beberapa kali mengenai hal ini. Untuk makluman saudara dan saudari sekalian, penubuhan sebuah tabung bagi melindungi blogger, bermula dengan Rocky dan Jeff, sedang diusahakan”. Click
Kickdefella 
let us sue them back!
I have to say that I do think of that too. But we need to unite ourselves and we need to have legal expertise. We need fund! It is not impossible.
I support you. All of you. All the brave malaysian bloggers out there!
Unite
We should form a body or foundation to serve this purpose.
i’m in!
free speech is fundamental. it is everything. so i support Bloggers United. No Fear.
ps: i have legal expertise.
“What YOU do to any of US, is what YOU do to ALL.”
it is beautiful, Sheih and Susan.
Now, It is always “We” or “Us”. Bloggers unite.
ok I’ll add the pic. logo and join the fight
Hi Friends,
In my spare time, I did some digging into the historical record of any major newspaper or news editor around the world suing a member of the public for defamation….guess what I found – zilch.
Newspapers have ever published rebuttals and counter attacks against disagreeable things said about them by individuals or organisations (which is their right) but they never (until now) initiate such cases in court. You know why ? Newspapers exist to publish news and opinions (obviously).
It is NEVER in the paper’s long term interest to attempt tigher legal restrictions to freedom of speech, even if somebody has said something obnoxious about the newspaper.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I leave it to our intelligent readers to figure out whether this is just a simple case of a newspaper and its editors suing a few bloggers, or there’s a bigger agenda and other parties in the background.
Bloggers Unite !
Boycott NST !
Its OK. When one get sued, one will defend. One may even want to counter sue. It is not pleasant but we got to live with it. There will support around for good cause… sure.
Stop paying RM1.20/RM1.50 daily and get sued…with your own money in the wrong hand.
Bloggers Unite
As I say, these guys are just using their resources from large institutions to exert sheer force on the individuals like Rocky and Jeff.
To a lot of judges here as well as the lawyers too, it is new uncharted territory. As such, it is more the strain of putting up with the motion rather than the suit itself. I do not think a couple of ciplak editors are that brilliant to defend the net community anyway.
correction
Stop paying RM1.20/RM1.50 daily. Why risk to be sued…using your own money in the wrong hand.
Bloggers Unite
Way to go, beb!
Blog anda ni Sdr Shieh, terlalu banyak kata2 bombastik… but it’s your blog, you can do what you like.
thinking of a united litigation is not impossible BUT we can start with boycotting all their media products. their nature of business is to sell newspapers and magazines. if nobody buys it, advertisers will pull out. thus no funds to employ lawyers to sue bloggers.
Ada sesiapa disini yang tau blog-blog yang “contents”nya berkenaan hiburan atau pon gosip-gosip panas? Mungkin kita sama-sama dapat membantu saudara/ri 5band? Kata-kata yang terdapat di blog saudara Sheih ini terlalu bombastik buat orang seperti dia.
I am signing
http://the-antics-of-husin-lempoyang.blogspot.com/
Hi all,
I do not have my own blog, but I do have RM 300 for the fund.
LCK
Sheih said : Thank you my friends. We will keep you update on the matters once everything is in order. Currently Datuk Kadir is spearheading it.
We will walk together with you!
bro, i like the idea of having some merchandize items for that bloggers united.. tshirts, stickers, mug, keychain, mousepad, anything… should u go for it, lemme know n i’ll try to help make the tabung alive..
After decades of unflagging loyalty to NST, my husband and I recently severed all ties with it and now subscribe to another English daily. And why did we do this? Because it became increasingly clear to us that we had lost all faith in what was, to us at least, once a paper of repute; a paper for the people. Spin doctoring is giving the “medicine” of journalism a real bad name.
Got it, signed.
http://tellusomething.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/hear-hear-bloggers-united/
Sheih,
I am with rahmat.
Dear Rahmat and Zee,
Its a wonderfull idea. However right now, we need to get our ‘organization’ in order first. I am waiting development on Datuk Kadir’s front. Once things are in order, we will go all the way okay!
Sheih;
How is the response on the BLOGGERS UNITED from bloggers who aligned with moNSTerblog?
Just curious..
Sokong sepenuh hati!
Time to step up….I always knew there was a reason I liked The Star better…hahaha!
NST is ridiculous. Great idea with the fund. Keep it up.
Johnny Ong said “thinking of a united litigation is not impossible BUT we can start with boycotting all their media products. their nature of business is to sell newspapers and magazines. if nobody buys it, advertisers will pull out. thus no funds to employ lawyers to sue bloggers”.
Fair enough but if you really want to hurt them, target (or boycott) the companies that advertise in their publications. Make them feel uncomfortable about any association with the NST group.
I maybe new to blogging but i wont stand aside . Logo is lock and load.
I maybe new to blogging but i wont stand aside. Logo is now lock and load.
We must fight for freedom of talk!!
Boycott the advertisers who peddle their goods through newspapers that don’t believe in free speech …..
FREE SPEECH MY ASS. IF I CALL YOUR MOTHER A @@@@@ WOULD YOU SUPPORT FREE SPEECH?
as much as i am supportive of a united bloggers front – just a question Susan, which I’d appreciate to hear your stand on a comment i found online re: Bloggers United–
# I believe that the possibility should remain open for people to take legal action against defamatory statements made on the internet – something that Bloggers United has been rather ambiguous about (at first glance, they seem to actually want this possibility to be cut off).
does the Bloggers United stand against this case of the “prosecution of freedom of speech” mean that no personal responsibility should be taken into account? that bloggers should be free from any form of legal prosecution?
Hello guys! I do hope that you all had a great weekend as I did!
I was reading the funnies from that paper you guys hate so much and my favourite strip is called Grafitti.
There was one special strip that I want to dedicate it to you guys who hold sipm in that special dark place in your heart:
“If you don’t have a backbone, you need thicker skin”
Hehe cute huh?
Have a great weak ahead! 😉
Lovingly
Dek Mat
sipm.blogspot.com
Salaam Sheih,
The idea of sustaining and increasing the Bloggers United Fund thru product merchandising I think is very viable and feasible.
Wattahack!
I’m in can support maybe thru T-Shirts since my family member already making and selling them for other clubs.
How strong bloggers mould malaysians’ outlook?
saya juga ikut meletakkan nama saya menyertai bloggers unite ini. namun, harapnya, seperti kata midnitelily di atas, bloggers unite bukan mahu kebebasan memblog melulu tanpa tanggungjawab.
p/s
logo yang disediakan terlalu besar tinggi, jadi saya ada buat yang kecil sedikit dan letak di laman web saya. kepada sesiapa yang mahu versi logo kecil sedikit ini (200 x 70 piksel) ada di
kata PAK kita:-
“KEBEBASAN TANPA TANGGUNGJAWAB,ITU BAGI SAYA KACAU BILAU NAMANYA”
CUBA BANDING DENGAN KATA :-
TUN ABDUL RAZAK BIN DATO’ HUSSIEN Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang Kedua
“It is a well-known fact that the best place for the cultivation of peaceand human brotherhood is in the minds of men. As a man becomes literate, his mind becomes exposed to the bigger world of knowledge. He becomes more enlightened and receptive to ideas and attempts for the preservation of peace; and what is more important, greater also will be his incentives to act for the sake of peace”
Pak Lah kata…”Siapa kata saya hilang kawalan??”
Shai kata…”Bukan hilang kawalan… dah masuk gaung dah pun…. muehehehe”
I’m with all of you guys!
Power corrupt.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. “Lord Acton”
Excellent post!
Talk no evil. Hear no evil. See no evil. The Barisan Nasional is always right.
Hi. saya baru kat sini. Neway, Saya sokong awak.
Rakyat Malaysia perlukan kebebasan untuk bersuara!
Bloggers UNITED!
Yes, our freedom of speech must be defended at all costs. It is one of the basic human rights. Wrong doings must be condemned. Wrong doers must be kicked into jails! We must speak up loud and clear with our pens when most of those in power are unwilling to hear our voices personally.