MALAYSIA: Human Rights Defender’s Case Update (4/3/2011)
Charles Hector, Human Rights Defender, Activist, Lawyer & Blogger is being sued by the company for defamation for raising information of human rights and worker rights violations of workers working in the said company on his Blog. Information circulated came from the 31 migrant workers from Burma. Before any posting, an email was sent to the company for clarification/verification, which contained also these words, “If there are anything that you would like to correct, kindly revert to me immediately. …An urgent response would be appreciated. Failing to hear from you, I would take it that the allegations of the workers are true.”. The company did not respond, and subsequently commenced a legal suit 6 days later.
Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd –V- Charles Hector Fernandez(Case No: 22 NCVC – 173 – 2011) came before Judge Lim Yee Lan at the Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia NCVC Court at the Shah Alam Court Complex at about 11.00am, 4/3/2011.
Charles Hector was represented by lawyers Francis Pereira and R, Shanmugam (with Taneswaran, pupil in Chambers)
Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd was represented by lawyer Tan Tai Hwa
Bar Council Malaysia (Holding a Watching Brief) was represented by Daniel Lo.
The case today was fixed for the inter-parte hearing with regard the ex-parte injunction obtained on 17/2/2011, and also the hearing of Charles Hector’s application to set aside the said ex-parte order.
As the company’s lawyers wanted to reply to Charles Hector’s Affidavits, the court granted an adjournment for the company to file their Affidavits in Reply, and for Charles Hector to put in any reply after that.
As the ex-parte order automatically lapses on the 1st date fixed for the inter-parte hearing or in 21 days, whichever sooner, the Company applied for an ad-interim order (also known as a holding over order), and court allowed this application and granted a ‘holding-over’ order until the next hearing date. The order was watered down from the earlier ex-parte order, confining it to just the issue concerning the named 31 workers in Charles Hector’s Affidavit and the company, and also limiting it communication through the said Charles Hector blog [www.charleshector.blogspot.com] and communications by tweet.
* Representatives from civil society, human rights groups and the Burmese migrant community were also present in court as a show of support and solidarity.
Other matters
Charles Hector has already filed his Defence and Counter-Claim, whereby in the Counter-Claim he is also seeking some Declarations that determine that company’s supplied workers by ‘outsourcing’ agents, do become the employer on receipt of the workers, and do have the duties/obligations of an employer to these workers. There are other declarations. More information would be given later.
Next hearing date: 21/3/2011, at 2.00 pm
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