Pro-Umno bloggers Papagomo and Parpukari are facing a looming RM10 million lawsuit each for allegedly defaming businessman Abdul Razak Mohd Noor.
Abdul Razak (right) had through law agency Netto & Co on Jan 3 issued a letter of demand to the duo, on top of a notice of demand published in a major local daily last Saturday.
When contacted, Abdul Razak's lawyer Reuben Netto said his client had resorted to public notices as he had no other avenues to defend himself.
"When we go before the judge, we want to say that we have done everything in our power to identify the bloggers," he said.
The notices names Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris as the owner of the Papagomo blog and Mohamad Salim Iskandar as the owner of the Parpukari blog.
Abdul Razak claims that Papagomo had through a blog posting on Dec 11, 2011 and Parpukari through a blog posting on Dec 4 and Dec 12, 2011 defamed him.
"They have defamed my client by calling him a conman and accusing him of cheating the government, saying that he had collaborated with the opposition and labelling him as being ungrateful to Umno," said Netto.
Abdul Razak (right) had through law agency Netto & Co on Jan 3 issued a letter of demand to the duo, on top of a notice of demand published in a major local daily last Saturday.When contacted, Abdul Razak's lawyer Reuben Netto said his client had resorted to public notices as he had no other avenues to defend himself.
"When we go before the judge, we want to say that we have done everything in our power to identify the bloggers," he said.
The notices names Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris as the owner of the Papagomo blog and Mohamad Salim Iskandar as the owner of the Parpukari blog.
Abdul Razak claims that Papagomo had through a blog posting on Dec 11, 2011 and Parpukari through a blog posting on Dec 4 and Dec 12, 2011 defamed him.
"They have defamed my client by calling him a conman and accusing him of cheating the government, saying that he had collaborated with the opposition and labelling him as being ungrateful to Umno," said Netto.
Justifying the demand of RM10 million in damages, Netto said Abdul Razak holds all telecommunications licences relating to broadband and satellite services in partnership with Telekom Malaysia.
"He is supplying the Malaysian public with broadband services in cooperation with Telekom, he is a fairly big person in terms of the services he renders.
"But with these defamatory articles, the banks and Telekom are calling up my client and asking what is happening," he said.
Netto said he was informed that Papagomo has met with other bloggers and sought advice on how handle the looming suit, while Parpukari thus far has ignored the legal notices.
Court action expected soon
"If by the end of the week, they do not show any sincerity or overtures in writing, then it will force our hand to file an action in court," he said.
Aside from damages, according to the letter sent on Jan 3, Abdul Razak is demanding for the duo to withdraw their allegations from their blogs as well as, at their own expense, request similar withdrawals from sites that have circulated the claims.
He is also seeking for the two to publish an unqualified apology on their blogs and to seek similar publication on sites which have circulated their allegations.
The duo will also be required to put in writing a guarantee to not publish similar allegations or imputations against Abdul Razak in future.
If the bloggers do not respond, Netto added, a suit will be filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court as early as Friday and the latest by early next week.
Papagomo has in the past made several controversial claims, including alleging that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's son had outraged the modesty of his schoolmate, a claim which has been proven untrue.
Several police reports have been lodged against the blogger before, but this looming suit appears to be the first major legal action against him and Parpukari.
"He is supplying the Malaysian public with broadband services in cooperation with Telekom, he is a fairly big person in terms of the services he renders.
"But with these defamatory articles, the banks and Telekom are calling up my client and asking what is happening," he said.
Netto said he was informed that Papagomo has met with other bloggers and sought advice on how handle the looming suit, while Parpukari thus far has ignored the legal notices.
Court action expected soon
"If by the end of the week, they do not show any sincerity or overtures in writing, then it will force our hand to file an action in court," he said.
Aside from damages, according to the letter sent on Jan 3, Abdul Razak is demanding for the duo to withdraw their allegations from their blogs as well as, at their own expense, request similar withdrawals from sites that have circulated the claims.
He is also seeking for the two to publish an unqualified apology on their blogs and to seek similar publication on sites which have circulated their allegations.The duo will also be required to put in writing a guarantee to not publish similar allegations or imputations against Abdul Razak in future.
If the bloggers do not respond, Netto added, a suit will be filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court as early as Friday and the latest by early next week.
Papagomo has in the past made several controversial claims, including alleging that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's son had outraged the modesty of his schoolmate, a claim which has been proven untrue.
Several police reports have been lodged against the blogger before, but this looming suit appears to be the first major legal action against him and Parpukari.
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