Rais obtains injunction against blogger

By M.MAGESWARI 

mages@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Information, Communi-cations and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim has obtained an injunction ordering blogger Amizudin Ahmat to remove a defamatory article in his blog which he claimed implied that he was guilty of raping his Indonesian maid.

High Court judge Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof granted the ex-parte injunction order upon hearing submissions by Dr Rais’s lawyer Azad Bashir, from Messrs Shafee & Co, in chambers yesterday.

Justice Zabariah ordered Amizudin, or known as Din Binjai, to stop publishing similar defamatory words regarding the minister in his blog or other blogs belonging to third parties until disposal of the inter-parte injunction application.

Justice Zabariah also ordered Amizudin to not publish any documents concerning the legal action in his blog and other blogs until full disposal of the inter-parte injunction application.

The judge set Feb 11 for mention and Feb 22 to hear the inter-parte injunction application.

Dr Rais filed a suit against Amizudin on Jan 31 saying that the blogger had published or caused to be published a defamatory article under the heading “Hei Pak Menteri...mana mau lari...’ (Hey Mr Minister...where do you want to run to) in his blog on Dec 28, last year.

In his statement of claim, Dr Rais said the article with his photograph was prominently displayed athttp://sharpshooterblogger.blogspot.com/2010/12/hei-pak-menteri-mana-mau-lari.html and contained false and malicious words about him.

He said that the defendant has set up or had caused to set up a blog located on the World Wide Web under the title “Sharpshooter” and that it was accessible to millions of users.

In his suit, Dr Rais claimed that the words meant that he was guilty of raping his Indonesian maid and capable of murdering her to conceal evidence over the alleged rape.

Rais said the words also implied that he is a person with authority who likes to take advantage of his subordinates, an unfaithful husband and an immoral leader.

Dr Rais claimed that he has suffered considerable embarrassment and distress and is seeking for any further relief deemed fit by the court.