A Malaysian High Court has given a popular blogger and web editor until 15 August to reveal the sources for three articles in his blog deemed defamatory to a prominent lawyer. Malaysian media reports said he was also ordered to remove said articles from his blog.

The court also ordered "Malaysia Today" online editor Raja Petra Kamarudin to reveal the identities of visitors to his blog who left comments on the three articles.

Lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, whom Raja Petra linked to the ruling Malaysian political party UMNO, filed charges of defamation against Raja Petra over three articles he had posted in his blog at his "Malaysia Today" website on August 6, 7 and 11.

In the three articles, Raja Petra accused Shafee of being behind the recent sodomy charge filed against PKR adviser Datu Serik Anwar Ibrahim.

According to "The Star," Justice Tee Ah Sing's order, granted in chambers, included directing Raja Petra to remove the offending articles, follow-up stories and the comments of visitors.

The blogger or his agents were also ordered to refrain from publishing the said articles and any other defamatory material against Shafee in other websites.

Shafee told "The Star" that Raja Petra had "continuously and maliciously [gone] on a rampage to defame him."

"I have not seen anything more defamatory than what this man has written. None of what he said is true," he added.

The following are related links to this alert:

The New Strait Times Online:

http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/2320953/Article/index_html

The Star Online:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/8/14/nation/22081320&sec...