Latest posts by Daniel Chandranayagam
Malaysia: Blogger's habeas corpus bid thwarted
Just on the day of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s habeas corpus, a detention order was issued for him to be held under s. 8(1) of the Internal Security Act (ISA). Malaysia’s Minister of Home Affairs, Syed Hamid Albar, was reported to have admitted to signing the detention order the night before the habeas corpus hearing.
Malaysia: YouTube rapper under investigation
Wee Meng Chee, aka Namewee, was quizzed by the police on the matter of his rap song, which featured the Malaysian national anthem “Negaraku”, in the chorus. The song, entitled ‘Negarakuku’, had caused controversy last year, with Chinese lyrics purportedly touching on police abuses, corruption and racial discrimination, among others. Wee's...
Singapore: Blogger jailed for insulting judge
Former Singaporean citizen and naturalized American, Gopalan Nair, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment for insulting a high court judge on his blog. Newspaper reports that the court, in handing out the sentence, had stated that Gopalan had “scandalised…the judiciary and the administration of justice in Singapore” [...]
Malaysia: Yet another blogger apprehended
Malaysian blogger Syed Azidi Syed Aziz, or kickdefella, was arrested today. From initial reports, it is not clear if he was arrested for inciting the public to fly the national flag upside-down or for an article he wrote. Other reports suggest that Syed Azidi is being investigated under Section 4 (1) of the...
Malaysia: Detention without trial for blogger RPK
Just as the MCMC unblocks “Malaysia Today”, Raja Petra Kamaruddin's controversial news portal, Malaysiakini reports that Raja Petra (or RPK) (pic below) has been arrested under the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA). RPK’s wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, was reported to have said that he was arrested at 1310 on 12th September...
Malaysia: Good news, garnished with salt
In light of the its aim to encourage the people to use the internet as a means of disseminating information, the Malaysian government has restored access to the Malaysia Today news portal, together with the other sites which have been blocked since January 2008. According to the Malaysian Communications and...
More storms a-brewing for RPK
A new legal wrangle might join the criminal defamation charges and defamation law suits sitting on the doorstep of Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK). Newspapers reported recently that the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and other Muslim bodies had lodged a police report against him for allegedly insulting the Malays, Muslims and Islam. The...
Defamation & the Malaysian Blogger
Local newspapers report a little bump in Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's defamation proceedings against Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK), when the High Court today ordered Shafee to appoint a lawyer. RPK's lawyer, Manjeet Singh, had pointed out that Shafee may not represent himself in a case in which he has reason to...
Whose Decision To Block Malaysia Today?
Amidst uproar from Malaysian netizens, today's announcement by the Energy, Water & Communications Minister, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansur, has put a new kink in the plot. Datuk Shaziman was reported to have said that the government had not ordered the Malaysian Today website to be banned. According to news reports,...
Plans for action against Malaysian bloggers
Despite jubilation over the Opposition’s win in the 26th August by-elections, political bloggers in Malaysia face the sobering prospect of the government taking tougher action against blog and website owners.
Malaysian blogs fly flag upside down
Since August 3rd, some Malaysian blogs have featured the national flag (or “Jalur Gemilang“) posted upside-down as a sign of a nation in distress. The call was said to be have been made by blogger Sheih aka ‘kickdefella‘ from the country's east coast, a call which many bloggers have taken...
Malaysia: Deface If You Dare
Malaysian bloggers were up in arms again when blogger Bakaq aka ‘Penarik Beca’ was detained for sedition recently. Bakaq, whose real name is Abdul Rashi Abu Bakar, was detained (and since released) for defacing the Royal Malaysian Police crest by allegedly substituting the tiger in the emblem with a dog.
Malaysia: What exactly is sedition?
It has been a tumultuous time for blogging and online expression in Malaysia. With the ongoing court cases with blogger and online news portal editor, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, as well as the detention of Malay language blogger, Abdul Bakar aka ‘Penarik Beca’, it is with little surprise that it has been reported that Malaysian foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, called for the creation of a council or other form of mechanism to monitor bloggers.
