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Saturday, January 20, 2007

Watch This Space

The NST and individuals in senior positions with the newspaper are suing Jeff Ooi. I am one of the lawyers representing Jeff. I was informed by the NST yesterday that it will not be running my column until the case has been brought to an end. I do not understand the reasoning underlying this decision but of course accept it as it is for the NST to decide who writes for it.

MIS

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Either you are with us or against us!

Littlebird

Maverick SM said...

The NST is owned by UMNO, but Kali and his coterie. If UMNO is silent, then it can be implied presence of consent and concurrence. However, UMNO belongs to 3 million Malays and these millions are deprived of their opinion and decision. So, what is UMNO? A Party controlled and owned by the few for the few?

I cry for you, Malays!

Stanford Law said...

MIS,

let me guess - they need to save some money to pay YOUR opponents in the suit??

good luck.

Anonymous said...

Why are you complaining here? As you are a human rights lawyer, don't you recognise NST has freedom to speech not to air your opinions in their newspaper.

susanloone said...

Hi Imtiaz, its time you support Bloggers United. See this: http://sloone.wordpress.com/2007/01/19/calling-one-calling-all-defend-your-right-to-free-speech/
we're behind you, imtiaz

Anonymous said...

U don't understand? Lawyer and smart one at that! U work for their "enemy" and u want to work for them as well ! of course they put u on hold ...hopefully later u can write for them again.

Vann said...

The payment for you (if any)shall go to the their lawyers..huhu.. once the rival, always a rival..inside or outside da court

Anonymous said...

I hope we won't become another Singapore which suppresses any left-centered opinions to the ground... Don't let Malaysia be like one!

Anonymous said...

GE is coming closer...and Government needs to stop strong left-sided opinions as fast as possible (if they could!) from internet-savvy, potential and influential voters (we, bloggers). You know, government-controlled media couldn't do it. The failed merger couldn't do it.

It would be interesting to see the outcome of Batu Talam by-election the coming week.

Anyway, Liverpool has won against Chelsea 2-0...you'll never walk alone!

Dek Mat said...

dear malik

it's really great that you are a part of this landmark case.

however, i am perturbed that you yourself did not offer to resign from your column for fear of conflict of interest.

i am aware (from jeff ooi) of the case where you were the counsel for Dato Shahrir and NST did not terminate your services.

even in that example I would have thought that both NST and yourself could have done the right thing and therefore disassociate yourselves from situations of potential conflicts of interest.

Anonymous said...

ahhh muhammad, working over time it seems. of course, you are execising your human rights too in here i presumed? oh, where are the rest of your "cousins"? must be busy spinning yarns elsewhere. eyes on u bro!

Anonymous said...

better~~don't tarnish your rep by writing for them~~~
people will count u as a UMNO crony :D
YAY~ what a great development!
the facade of PM's NEW REFORMS on PRESS FREEDOM is FALLING APART~~~

Malik Imtiaz Sarwar said...

Dek Mat,

what conflicts of interest?

MIS

Anonymous said...

Imtiaz and Commentors,

My take on this is this:

A lawyer, when acting for his client, does not become his client.

A lawyer is merely the spokesmen for his client.

In England, barristers one day act for the prosecutor, the next day they act for the criminal defendant (of course not in the same case).

Similarly, one day we could act for XYZ Bank against A Sdn Bhd for not paying back a loan, and the next day act for Z Sdn Bhd in defending a claim by ABC Bank for not paying back a loan.

So long as we do not have confidential information relating to the client which would render it unsafe to act against him, or if for some other reason a conflict of interest arises (normally when we have advised the same client on a similar issue) then lawyers can act for someone else against an existing client.

Of course, if he does so and the existing client is no longer comfortable with him as a lawyer, that is a risk he has to take.

More often than not, the client understands the lawyer is just doing his job and continues. When discussing his case, he does not discuss the other case.

So, Imtiaz, as a lawyer I share your confusion as to why your column (you're not even their lawyer) has been axed. There seems to be no conflict.

I've raised this in the Malaysian Bar Website Forum as well, but in the space reserved for registered users:http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&catid=40&id=2047#2047

Oh well.. Malaysia Boleh!

Shanmuga

Mr. Smith said...

Malik,
The shallow minds in NST think that since they pay you pittance for your column, you are expected to be beholden to them - sell your soul and principles.
They want your unquestioning loyalty since they give you some space to air your views.
There is such a wide chasm in intelligence between the editors of the Star and NST.
NST must rediscover its past glory instead of threatening some harmless bloggers.
This paper has to find out why it has become a non-entity and now heading for oblivion.

zorro said...

Muhammad abdullah, of course NST has a right who writes for them. But do you think that is the reason? come on, you may be awake but you have not got out of bed....get up and smell the coffee friend. Your partisanship prevents you from seeing the big picture....get out of bed and get rid of the blinkers....you aint a thoroughbred racehorse yet. Imtiaz, you always have our support.

LUBOK MELAYU said...

Tuan Malek,

Pada pendapat saya, kuasa besar di NST telah mengugut tuan. Mungkin mereka cuba memujuk tuan juga, tapi gagal. Tepat kata Anon 10:58, you are with them or against them. Dan saya bangga dan bersyukur kerana tuan tak goyah. Kekentalan semangat tuan itu akan amat diperlukan di hari-hari yang akan datang. Kes Jeff Ooi - dan Ahirudin (adakah benar desas-desus yang tuan akan mewakili beliau?) - terlalu penting bagi civil society, bagi generasi muka kita. Tak apalah kalau tuan tak dapat menulis di NST lagi. Kebebasan media dan pendapat di Balai Berita tidak merangkumi kebebasan peguam seperti tuan yang cuba menegakkan kebenaran. Ramai yang akan berhenti membeli NST sebab tindakan mereka cuba menindih dan menindas pemblog Jeff dan Ahirudin. Makin ramai yang takkan tengok NST kerana cube mengugut peguam yang berperinsip seperti tuan.

Moga sukses.
Jangan biarkan NSTP musnahkan Negaraku!!!

Anonymous said...

come to think of it, i expect this to happen. look at it this way. imitiaz is representing someone (jeff) who is being sued by NST, how can NST have a writer that represent the person they are suing? well at least that is the mentality of those in NST!!

Anonymous said...

Malik, stay focus. While we understand the need for you to reply to some of the posters here, but don't waste anymore of your time to engage this bunch of people (those from SiPM and muhammad abdullah). And very soon too, few more other names will crop up here as they did at Rocky's, Jeff's, Sheih's, RPK's and Marina's.

We are profiling them. Let us be the ones instead, to engage them, not by replying to their spinning for their masters, but exposing and identifying who they really are.

The sooner we ignore and not allowing them this platform to create chaos and disunity among bloggers, the better prepared we are to face the real issue in hand.

Don't bother to reply us on this, gang of 4 (or should I add on 'th Floor' to it?). Our purpose and function is to sniff you all out.

Anonymous said...

Oi, no shame ah? Dont you know there is such a think as conflict of interest and professional courtesy? Stop griping and go defend Jeff lah.

Anonymous said...

What is next?
Screw the readers of NST's publications because they read Rocky's & Jeff's blogs also?

I will be surprised if NST is not run to ground by this bunch of idiots. Just don't use public money for bailout, my ever wondering government, please.

Varthana.v said...

Malik...
You are great writer,but before all that you are a great human being...the NST are the loosers.Your knowledge and skill will stay with you forever..

Anonymous said...

We all should again join our force to boycott such a shortsighted and narrow-minded publications

Anonymous said...

Mr Smith,
You said it best.
MIS, and the rest of bloggers reading this. NST used to be the best selling paper in town. USED TO BE. It is now widely acknowledged by those who can read and comprehend in English that NST is no longer in that position. By claiming that the Independant data collecting agency that derived that data was inaccurate in the first place shows us the mentality of the management.
By suing rocky and Jeff, who are just plain bloggers is despicable, how is it that BBC and Australian Post are not served the same?
They were referring their articles to the print in question, Mitch A's post 9/11 write up.
I can't comment on the postings about the management, but if the person in question did post them and can justify them, in the eyes of the law, that is sufficient.
As far as NST's reaction to MIS, it is like this....
'A' needs water to drink (just like NST needs articles of substance that MIS is providing now).
'B' supplies the water drawn from its own natural resource. But just because 'A' and 'C' are engaged in a battle in court, 'A' declines any water it is taking from 'B' but would rather get it from other questionable sources, whether it gets it or not is not of importance to 'A'

Tony Yew said...

Muhammad Abdullah,

I read from your postings at Rocky's website that you are encouraging readers to think about others and not boycott NST as, only their staff will suffer from this, and you would like to encourage the younger generation to read papers to improve their knowledge, and you were referring to your children.

Now what kind of message are we sending to our children by condoning this kind of action?

I am beginning to think that your argument is of no substance!
Think before you write . . .

Anonymous said...

Muhammad Abdullah,

I agree with you that everyone has their rights, I think Malik also has his rights to say anything he want, don't u regconise that too? Please think again when you comment in the internet..... there is no boundary and there is no special rights too. Everyone is equal in the cyberspace

Anonymous said...

Dear Malik,

I salute your conscience, it's great to have a Malaysian like you, may God walk with you.

Anonymous said...

MIS you are one of the few Malaysians who speak for all races. Now you are defending the Blog writers and we salute you for your commitment to express openly without fear and favour. Keep it up and we are always behind you.