The Associated Press reports that a group of fifty bloggers in Malaysia have formed an alliance to protect bloggers from the Malaysian government.
Malaysian online political commentators have formed a group to protect bloggers' interests after two of them were sued by a newspaper with close government ties.
The National Alliance of Bloggers' main goal is to "protect bloggers," and to try to get the government to see their point of view and why they have made certain postings, the new group's president, Ahirudin Attan, wrote on his popular blog "Rocky's Bru."
The alliance was formed late Thursday, Ahirudin wrote.
About 50 of Malaysia's popular online personalities held a meeting and decided to start the organization because a few bloggers were being "demonized again and again" by the government, Ahirudin said.
"When certain quarters in government become hostile towards bloggers, I believe they mean to aim their hostility at a small group of bloggers or online writers whose views and takes of current affairs they fear," Ahirudin wrote.
Just a few weeks ago Malaysia's Information Minister warned people not to trust blogs. Now two bloggers have been sued by a newspaper linked to the government. No wonder the bloggers are trying to organize. It's clear the Malaysian government is trying to crack down on them and silence criticism.
