Lfl Seeks For Single Court To Hear Two Suits Over Singapore S Anti Fake News Law

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Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) is seeking for a single Kuala Lumpur High Court to hear the non-governmental organisation’s (NGO) two suits linked to Singapore’s controversial anti-fake news law.
The group’s counsel Shahid Adli Kamarudin confirmed this when contacted by Malaysiakini this afternoon.
On Oct 7, Malaysiakini reported that LFL filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian government, over its (Malaysian government) alleged failure to uphold the group’s freedom of speech from being encroached by Singapore’s anti-fake news law.
The legal action against the Malaysian government is linked to LFL’s earlier suit against Singapore’s Home Minister K Shanmugam over the republic’s attempt to enforce its Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 (Pofma) against the NGO.
The earlier suit targeted Shanmugam’s order for LFL to admit alleged falsehoods in a blog post.
Shahid today said LFL’s suit against Shanmugam is before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mariana Yahya, while the group’s legal action against the Malaysian government is before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid.
The lawyer said the group seeks for the suit against the Malaysian government to be transferred to Ahmad Kamal’s court.
“We seek this as both legal actions involve related issues,” Shahid said.


The lawyer added that LFL’s suit against the Malaysian government is fixed for case management before the Kuala Lumpur High Court Registry on Nov 6, while the group’s suit against Shanmugam (above) is set for case management before the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Nov 4.
It was reported that LFL’s suit against Shanmugam seeks, among others, a court declaration that the Singaporean minister, or anyone acting under his authority, cannot take any action to enforce any provision under the republic's Pofma against the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs suing Shanmugam are LFL, its adviser N Surendran, and its director Melissa Sasidaran.
In relation to the suit against the Malaysian government, the listed plaintiffs are LFL and Surendran.

It was reported that the suit against the Malaysian government is over its (Malaysian government) alleged failure to uphold the plaintiffs’ fundamental right to free speech and expression against encroachment by Singapore’s anti-fake news law. - Mkini

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