Does Jeff Ooi like his soup piping hot? I would like to think so because he has just gotten himself into one again. He was implicated for a comment that someone left in his blog. P. Gunasegaram, theSun and Nexnews Group Executive Editor, lodged a complaint with the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum against Jeff for allowing a comment that was interpreted as to incite people to cause bodily harm to Gunasegaram.
Is this the shape of things to come for the blogosphere in Malaysia? Will this incident intimidate blog readers enough for them to stop leaving comments? Or if they do leave comments, will it be sterile? Will bloggers moderate comments or disable the commenting function once and for all? Will bloggers be subjected to multi-million ringgit lawsuits like one that befell on the late MGG Pillai?
Those who live by the sword die by the sword. Bloggers should not be any different. We are bound by the laws of the country. I opted not to blog anonymously for the simple reason that if my details are easily available, I will be more vigilant in what I write and not run foul of the law. The moment we put up an entry, we must realise that we are liable for it, for better or worse. Therefore, we have to be responsible for what we write. We also have to be responsible for what other people leave in our blogs. That is how this game is being played.
There have been attempts by several quarters to stifle the progress of blogs as an alternative medium for disseminating information not published in the mainstream media. While I agree that some bloggers have used it to further their malicious agendas, most of us are using it in a responsible manner.
Jeff may be opinionated. That is not a bad thing. As it is this country is full of sycophants willing to sell their souls for fatter bank accounts. Despite his idiosyncrasies, Jeff has done a lot to reveal the other side of the coin of the Malaysian socio-political arena. As a fellow blogger and a citizen, I support what he has been doing although I may not agree with some of the methods he employed.
No. we should not shoot Jeff Ooi the messenger. Instead, together with him, we should attempt to use whatever rights we have to reveal the misdeeds that are robbing us blind and propagate a society that is fair and just to all, irrespective of creed or colour. That is a Malaysia that I envision. I believe it is one that many of you desire too. And we as bloggers can play a part in realising that common dream.