I am offended. Very offended.

Bloggers Beware Libel Lawsuits
By MK Anwar

Bandar Seri Begawan – Local web-loggers or bloggers on the Internet as they are candidly referred to had better watch their cyberspace.

A thin veil of threat for all bloggers has been issued today in the local newspapers. As of today, all bloggers are seen as negative elements in the society.

For if they are found to be violating the local libel laws or not being properly registered as required by existing laws, they may be bogged down with lawsuits and even criminal prosecution.

The threat grows even more violent.

This is the message that was sounded yesterday by the relevant authorities and legal experts who have been following a series of libelous statements appearing in some of those so-called blogs.

Relevant authorities. Who? For once, BB journalists, please give some credibility to your writings. Do you want to be labelled a tabloid?

Others might argue that a blog has similarities to Internet forums that have become the avenue of open discussions but one safety aspect of these forums is that a Webmaster monitors it continuously. Any irresponsible comment or personal attack or even any indication of defamatory remarks will be censored or removed.

Oh you must be talking about this forum board! Last time I checked (3 minutes ago) the first page is full of gossipmongering and complaints. Don’t let me get started on the English usage. This paragraph is just opening a can of worms.

To illustrate what i mean, please read a simple generic entry which is common and occurs every 3-4 posts in the so called regulated forum.

lampoh vs kurus

skinny & fat assalam’alaikum, Bagi pendapat hamba kurus lampuh ni ada kelebihannya tersendiri. Hamba setuju dengan pendapat Si Puteri ani, terbukti di mata kitani dimanan penampilan antara kedua insan yang bergelar ‘gamuk’ dan ‘kurus’ ani, liat saja tah di The Mall (contoh paling baik) cara dressing durang dan cara pergaulan durang. Bini2 ‘gamuk’ ani nyaman dipaluk bah heheheheh… cua tah kamu try sekali sapa2 yang ber’GF’ gamuk atu… jangan pulang dipaluk bini orang yang jalan2 di kadai atu… heheheh lain karang jadinya… but yang kurus tu ‘ok’ jua but inda se’best’ bini2 gamik ani…PERCAYALAH…. Reply… ============ Hehehe…Udah ku rasa memaluk yang kurus dangan yang gamok….kek..! kek…! kek…! NYAMAN X ah yang gamok…terasa PANOH n BERISI…..PADAT memenuhi ruang…..n kerasahan KEHEBATAN kesemua indera permaianan! Yang kurus terasa tulang saja jungkit jungkit! Reply…

SadangSadang – katilkayangan@surga.com

25/02/2006

I am sure, you understand what I mean. And finally the last paragraph.

Already in Singapore, a student had to shut down.his blog after a libel threat was made when he criticised a government agency. Also in China, a lawsuit has been filed against a blog website when it published insults directed at a professor.

NOTHING in this piece of writing is objective at all. Very tragically disappointing. We show a little progress, they fire you down like a Nazi plane.