Malaysia: New nonprofit for journalists and bloggers

In a bid to defence the media and to promote of freedom of expression in Southeast Asia, a new nonprofit organisation was launched recently. The Southeast Asia Media Legal Defence Network (SEAMLDN) aims to provide legal assistance to journalists and media organisations, support training and also to promote the exchange of information and strategies among lawyers working on media freedom cases.

Project coordinator for Malaysia, HR Dipendra, told Malaysiakini:

We will provide assistance in areas of funding, research, sharing of information and litigation tools and also provide training to empower journalists.

The idea for SEAMLDNwas conceived in Hong Kong in 2007and the network is now represented in Thailand, Indonesia, the Phillippines, Cambodia and Singapore as well. The organisation now has nine lawyers working for it on a pro-bono basis.

SEAMLDN is committed to provide:

• Payment of legal fees;
• Assistance in accessing free legal advice;
• Assistance in taking up cases in international tribunals and supervisory bodies;
• Support for the independent observation of court proceedings;
• Support in matters of strategic litigation;
• Opportunities for training in media law and litigation; and
• Support for the exchange of information and experience among media lawyers.

Dipendra said that individual bloggers were also part of their target group. He added that SEAMLDN was also focused on the online media, since the mainstream media had more funding for litigation.

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