Praeverti persecutio

A landmark case was decided in Kuala Lumpur High Court today. Wan Muhammad Azry Wan Deris has been determined by the High Court as blogger Papagomo and ordered to pay half a million Ringgit to businessman Abdul Razak Mohd. Nor for defamation in an article the former posted in Papagomo.com (now defunct).

Published: Friday September 13, 2013 MYT 10:01:00 AM
Updated: Friday September 13, 2013 MYT 3:54:00 PM

Blogger Papagomo identified, ordered to pay RM500,000 in defamation suit

BY M. MAGESWARI

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has ruled that Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris is blogger Papagomo (pic) and ordered him to pay a businessman RM500,000 in damages in a defamation suit.

Businessman Abdul Razak Mohd Noor had filed a RM10mil defamation suit against Papagomo, claiming that the blogger had implied he was a liar who earned millions of ringgit in the Commonwealth Games.

In his ruling, Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera ordered Papagomo to pay RM200,000 in general damages and RM300,000 in exemplary damages.

He also granted an injunction to stop Papagomo from further defaming Abdul Razak.

JC Vazeer ordered Papagomo to pay the businessman RM50,000 in costs.

In his judgment, JC Vazeer said Papagomo was not remorseful of his actions and this was reflected in his conduct when he testified in the defamation trial.

He said he hoped the award would serve as a lesson to bloggers who uploaded defamatory articles in anonymity.

Wan Muhammad Azri had previously denied that he was the controversial blogger Papagomo.

*************

This would set a precedence, not only to the various suits that Papagomo is facing but also to others who wants to take anonymous bloggers to court or from persecution.

Then again, Razak as a businessman who is in a very competitive industry isn’t someone who is free from controversy. Son of former Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim Ph.D, Dino Rais, took Razak, The Malay Mail and NST to court for reporting a dispute between Razak and Dino’s partner, Desmond Looh in court. Dino’s name also mentioned in the case.

Eventually,on 8 April 2011 the case was awarded in favour of Razak.

Razak said he believed that Papagomo and another blogger explicitly used viral words and description to defame him using their blogs, as part of the reaction, psywar or premonition to the cases which were taken in the court. More so when the outcome were unfavourable and probably detrimental to certain parties.

Never the less, this a dangerous precedence to anonymous socio-politico bloggers. - bigdogdotcom