Jan 16: How a disgraced former lecturer like Murray Hunter got elevated to the status of human rights defender beats me. But that was the title bestowed on the Australian living in Hatyai by a motley group led by Aliran to try and help Hunter out of a legal mess he had brought upon himself.
Fortunately, Siamese law does not give a hoot about whether you’re called an HRD or you’re white. If you’re based in Thailand and you think it is safe to defame someone or something in Malaysia, you’re wrong.
Hunter knows this now (I had told him so in several postings on this blog but he was too cocky to listen). And so, after all his bravado about counter-suing the MCMC and challenging the system that neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Thailand have put in place to safeguard their interest and uphold their laws, Hunter wasted little time to get down on his knees (figuratively, of course) and go on record to say sorry to the MCMC, its chief commissioner Tan Sri Mohamed Salim Fatih Din, and a whole lot of people he had mentioned or slandered in the articles which he had to attach below.
Hunter has never had much good to write about Malaysia. Those he badmouthed in the four articles below included Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian media (something to note for the new Malaysian Media Council).
There are other articles on Malaysia, the government, the Bumi policies, and even the Royalty that he had written which convinced me he is not just obsessed with this country, he may have an axe to grind, too.
In any case, Hunter is yet another reminder that we who write on blogs, the Internet, social media do not exist in a vacuum. We are governed by laws and regulations, just like the journalists in the mainstream media are, and the onus is on us to ensure that we don’t cross the line.
Be humble, be fair.
Below is the public apology that Murray Hunter had to issue on Jan 13 to escape a total of 8 years in Thai prison and USD25k fine for defaming MCMC and Salim.
MCMC and I have discussed and reached an understanding via a Settlement Agreement. I acknowledge that my comments and articles about MCMC and its related persons can be read to be inaccurate, misleading and have led to misunderstandings. I therefore apologise and regret if such actions caused any damage to MCMC and/or related persons, and I hereby fully retract all such comments and articles in their entirety. The list of the said comments and articles in Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 of the Settlement Agreement with MCMC is attached herein.
SCHEDULE 2MALAYSIAN CIVIL ACTION – ARTICLES / PUBLICATIONS(High Court of Malaya Suit No. BA-23NCvC-61-11/2024)A. PlatformsThe following publications were authored and published by Murray Hunter via: a. murrayhunter.substack.com (“Substack”);
b. eurasiareview.com (“Eurasia”);
c. X (formerly Twitter) including but not limited to @DalastKimbasabi (“X ProUile”) B. April 2024 Publicationsi. 7 April 2024
“Why Tan Sri Mohamed Salim Fateh Din must step down as chairman of the MCMC – Holders of public ofPice shouldn’t have any conPlicts of interest”
Platform: Substack
ii. 25 April 2024
“MCMC is out of control – MCMC raiding homes of citizens”
Platform: Substack
iii. 29 April 2024
“Chegubard’s arrest and charging is a warning to all Malaysians”
Platform: Substack
iv. 30 April 2024
“Press Statement: MCMC’s police report against writer Murray Hunter is high handed and has a chilling effect on freedom of speech”
Platform: Substack
C. August 2024 Publicationi. 7 August 2024
“IMAP Report: Continued blocking of Murray Hunter Substack by MCMC”Platform: Substack
D. September 2024 Publicationi. 8 September 2024
“Adventures in Noddyland: Teresa Kok police investigation – Blatant disrespect by Anwar towards his coalition partner the DAP”
Platform: Substack
E. October 2024 Publicationsi. 2 October 2024
“First anniversary of continuous blocking by the MCMC – It’s all an attempt to cover up dirty business dealings”
Platform: Substack
ii. 4 October 2024
“Anwar’s reforms: setting Malaysia back on the right path”
Platform: Substack
iii. 5 October 2024
“The Death of Journalism in Malaysia – Shrinking and Fragmented Industry Challenged by New Regime of Censorship”
Platform: Substack
iv. 7 October 2024
“Most of the mainstream media no longer carry any balanced view of Malaysian current affairs – MCMC blacklist in operation”
Platform: Substack
v. 17 October 2024
“More evidence the MCMC is protecting Crony business interest – The current management of the MCMC don’t want corporate crony corruption exposed to the public”
Platform: Substack
vi. 7 November 2024
“Malaysia needs an Elon Musk”
Platform: Substack
vii. 11 November 2024
“HOW THE MCMC HAS BECOME THE Most Powerful Government Agency In Malaysia – Analysis”
Platform: Eurasia
SCHEDULE 3THAILAND CRIMINAL ACTION – ARTICLES / PUBLICATIONS(Royal Thai Police, Yan Nawa Police Station, Daily Report dated 21 June 2024) A. PlatformsAll postings were published by Murray Hunter on murrayhunter.substack.com. B. April 2024 Publicationsi. 13 April 2024
“The 3Rs Are an Instrument of Tyranny for Malaysia”
Platform: Substack
ii. 19 April 2024
“MCMC Ordered by The High Court to Produce Police Instructions to Block Weechookeong.Com”
Platform: Substack
iii. 25 April 2024
“MCMC Is Out of Control”
Platform: Substack
iv. 29 April 2024
“Chegubard’s Arrest and Charging Is a Warning to All Malaysians”
Platform: Substack
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