Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 11:28:00
CALM, COLLECTED: Irwan (right) with Jahabardeen at the courthouse after the former was charged this morning — Pic: SHAHIR OMAR
PETALING JAYA: Precedent was set at the Petaling Jaya Sessions court after a satire and parody blogger 'Hassan Skodeng' was charged by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over a blog post entitled TNB To Sue WWF Over Earth Hour.
The blogger, whose real name is Irwan Abdul Rahman, 36, was charged under Section 233 (1)(a) of Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities or network service by making, creating, soliciting and initiating transmission of any content that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with malicious intent.
The offence was allegedly committed on March 25 this year between 6 to 7pm at The Malay Mail office in Dataran 3 Dua, Jalan 19/ 1, Petaling Jaya. If convicted, he will be liable to be fined up to RM 50,000 or a jail term up to a year or both.
Irwan, who is presently the executive editor for entertainment and lifestyle with The Malay Mail, claimed trial to the charge and was allowed a bail sum of RM4000 with one surety by Sessions judge Hayatul Akmal.
MCMC's deputy public prosecutor Badius Zaman Ahmad appeared for the prosecution.
Group advisor of Redberry Media group which owns Malay Mail Sdn Bhd, Bernama TV and Malaysian Reserve Datuk Ahirudin Attan, stood as bailor for the father of two.
Irwan's counsel Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos, in a statement, said this was the first time a blogger was charged with the intention of annoying.
"The charge of annoying is interesting because it's subjective. I believe till now, there has not been a case that has gone to trial to determine the method to decide, in the lawful manner, the definition of annoying," Jaharberdeen said.
"We will be sending a representation to the Attorney-General, and if the case goes to trial, it will have an impact on the freedom of blogging and also development of creative writing."
Jaharberdeen said he would be presenting evidence in court that the content of the blog was all parody and satire writing.
"Such a piece is an art of writing and he did not have intention of harming anyone. It may dampen or even kill the development of literary skills in the country."
The Malay Mail's chief operating officer Endie Shazlie Akbar, acting editor- in-chief Yushaimi Yahaya, print and online executive editor Muzli Mohd Zin and news editor Najmuddin Najib were present to render their support.
Renowned bloggers Ahirudin (Rocky's Bru), Nuraina A.Samad (Nuraina A.Samad 3540 Jalan Sudin), Zakhir Mohamad (BigDog), Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz (Kickdefella), Shamsul Yunos (My Anger, It May Be Yours Too) and Zainol Abideen (Mahaguru 58) were also present in a show of support.
'POWERRR EXTREME!!'
IRWAN's blog, nose4news.wordpress.com, created a year and a half ago, is a portal dedicated to humourous satirical news pieces in the vein of popular United States website The Onion.
The article in contention, written several days before April's Fool Day, was titled TNB To Sue WWF Over Earth Hour.
In the article, written as a faux news piece, he had described a fictitious Press conference organised by TNB president and CEO Datuk Sri Che Khalib Mohd Noh.
In the article, the TNB chief was quoted as calling the Earth Hour campaign "irresponsible" and described the World Wide Fund For Nature as a "green terrorist" over the global energy-saving campaign.
The Earth Hour campaign is an annual global movement asking the public to turn off all non-essential lights and electrical equipment for an hour every year to make a stand for climate change.
The humour piece even described the TNB supremo as screaming "POWERRR EXTREME!!" at the end of the fictitious Press conference, in reference to the battle cry by 1980s cartoon series The Centurions.
As a result, it was reported on Apr 17 that TNB had expressed their dissatisfaction over the continued publication of the of the blog.
