Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin has initiated legal action against website registration agency Mynic Berhad to uncover the owner of “focusmalaysia.my” over an allegedly defamatory article.
His civil application was over the purported publication of the article “10 reasons why KJ isn’t PM material, Malaysians must carefully examine his past track record” on March 10.
According to New Straits Times, the article was attributed to the pseudonym “Corruption Watch”.
Khairy sought the registered owner’s identity or company registration number, address, email, and telephone number.
He also sought records relating to the domain’s registration, including its original registration and expiry dates, the Mynic-accredited registrar involved, and any changes in ownership.
Court documents stated that the identity of the person behind the pseudonym was unknown and could not be established without the court’s intervention.
Khairy said his lawyers issued a letter of demand to Focus Malaysia Sdn Bhd on March 13. However, the company denied owning the website, saying it disposed of its entire business around 2018.
Mynic confirms it holds owner details
In its affidavit in reply, Mynic reportedly confirmed that it holds information on the domain’s registered owner, including the owner’s name, registered address, email, and telephone number, as well as administrative and technical contact details.
It did not object to releasing the information if ordered to do so by the court, said the agency, which is under the Digital Ministry and is the official administrator for internet website addresses that end with “.my”.
It also said that the company registered as the domain’s owner on March 10 - the day the article was published - remains its current owner, and that there had been no change in ownership between March 10 and June 18, when Khairy filed the application.
However, Mynic objected to Khairy’s request for communications involving the registry, the registrant, and the accredited registrar, arguing that such material was irrelevant or unnecessary to the proposed defamation proceedings.
The registry maintained that it was an innocent third party and not the intended defendant in Khairy’s proposed suit.
Mynic is also seeking an indemnity against any losses, liabilities, costs, or claims arising from compliance with any disclosure order, as well as the costs of the application and compliance with such an order. - Mkini
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