CIJ slams Bestinet's billion-ringgit lawsuit, urges safeguards
Malaysiakini
CIJ criticizes Bestinet's lawsuit against media as an attempt to suppress public scrutiny and calls for legal safeguards.Summary
The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has strongly condemned Bestinet Sdn Bhd’s billion-ringgit lawsuit against several media outlets and individuals, characterizing it as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (Slapp). CIJ argues that the lawsuit is a deliberate effort to silence journalists investigating matters of public interest. The organization has called on the government to establish clear legislative guidelines to protect against such litigation, which aims to stifle public scrutiny and critical reporting. CIJ views this case as a direct attack on press freedom and the public’s right to information, emphasizing the need for safeguards to prevent similar attempts to suppress journalistic work.
(Source：Malaysiakini)