Jeff Ooi

Infobox MP
honorific-prefix = Yang Berhormat Jelutong
name = Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun
honorific-suffix =


constituency_MP = Jelutong
parliament = Malaysian
majority = 16,246
predecessor = Lee Kah Choon (BN)
successor =
term_start = March 8 2008
term_end =
birth_date =
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = Malaysian
spouse =
party = flagicon|Malaysia DAP - Pakatan Rakyat
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation = flagicon|Malaysia Member of Parliament
profession =
religion =


website = [http://www.jeffooi.com/ Screenshots]
footnotes =

Ooi Chuan Aun [Puah, Pauline (Jan. 18, 2007). [http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16725 NST sues Jeff Ooi, Rocky for defamation] . "The Sun".] (zh-cp|c=黄泉安|p=Huáng Quán'ān) (born c. 1956cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/12/nation/20297439 |title=Election strategist among new faces |accessdate=2008-02-12 |author= |date=2008-02-12 |publisher="The Star" Online ] ), better known as Jeff Ooi, is a Malaysian IT consultant by profession, blogger, photographer and politician. He is currently the Member of Parliament for Jelutong in the 12th Malaysian Parliament.

Hailing from a small town in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah, he was brought up among rural teenagers, especially the Malay. This gave him a good understanding of the politics of pluralism in the country as well as familiarity with Malay music and poetry, which sometimes help to add colour to his blog writing.

Internet activity

Jeff Ooi writes a popular blog known as "Screenshots..." which he started on January 2, 2003. It covers current issues relating to Malaysia, mainly on politics. From time to time, it also touches on international news and photography.

Jeff Ooi's blog has been dubbed "Malaysia's Most Influential Blog" by Malaysiakini, a popular local online news publication. Between March 6 and March 10 2006, Ooi claimed that the total data downloaded by visitors to his blog was 50.58 gigabytes. [Ooi, Jeff (2006). [http://www.jeffooi.com/2006/03/whose_radar_screen.php "Whose radar screen?"] . Retrieved March 10, 2006.] In 2005, Screenshots won the Asia category of the Freedom Blogs Awards given by Reporters Without Borders. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4099802.stm Blogs lauded in 'freedom awards'] . (Jun. 17, 2005). "BBC News".] He's also a pioneer in Malaysian's blogosphere.

Jeff Ooi also administrates a photography forum called Lensa Malaysia, which receives 200,000 page views per month. He is also the founder and administrator of USJ and Subang Jaya's own community forum " [http://usj.com.my usj.com.my] ", and was hired by CNET Asia as a tech blogger alongside other CNET Asia bloggers. He named his CNET Asia blog " [http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/blog/lemaklemang Lemak Lemang] ", a reference to coconut-flavored sticky rice stuffed in a bamboo container traditionally prepared by Malays.

Entry into politics

In 2006, it was reported by "The Star", a local English language daily, that Ooi was among several local bloggers being wooed by the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) to run for public office. Ooi, who was at the time a member of "Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia" (Malaysian People's Movement), a major party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition government, stated that "it's too premature at this point" for him to consider entering active politics. [Tan, Joceline (Nov. 26, 2006). [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/26/focus/16121008&sec=focus Cyberspace talent search] . "The Star".] In 2007, it was reported by "The Star" that he is set to join the DAP and contest in the general election. [ [http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/29/nation/18441530&sec=nation Blogger Ooi to join DAP and contest in polls] (July 29, 2007) "The Star"] He finally joined DAP on July 31 2007. [ [http://www.dapmalaysia.org/english/2007/july07/bul/bul3352.htm Media statement by Jeff Ooi] , "DAP Malaysia", July 31, 2007.] Ooi contested as a DAP candidate in Malaysia's 2008 general election for a seat in Jelutong, Penang.cite web |url=http://www.jeffooi.com/2008/02/jelutong.php |title=Screenshots: Jelutong |accessdate=2008-02-21 |author= |date=2008-02-21 |publisher=Ooi, Jeff ] cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/14/election2008/20321812&sec=election2008 |title=DAP rockets into Penang eyeing seven parliamentary seats |author=Lim, Ai Lee |date=2008-02-14 |publisher="The Star" ] , which he won by a majority margin of 16246 votes. [http://malaysiakini.x10hosting.com/] .

Election results

Lawsuit

On January 11, 2007, Ooi, alongside Ahirudin Attan, were sued by the New Straits Times Press. [Ooi, Jeff (Jan. 18, 2006). [http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/01/bloggers_sued_in_malaysia.php Bloggers sued in Malaysia] . "Screenshots".] The Malaysian court ordered Ooi to remove more than 10 postings on his blog that the NSTP claimed were libellous by January 17. Ooi is prohibited from republishing those postings in his blog or on the internet until the disposal of the defamation suit filed by New Straits Times Press (NSTP). The lawsuits are the first of their kind in Malaysia. [cite web | url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2ABAF201-92F0-4FF1-896D-A77FC808B07C.htm | title=Court gags Malaysian blogger | accessdate=2007-01-19] Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has defended legal action launched against him, saying the Internet was not exempt from defamation laws. [cite web | url=http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070124/afp/070124173712hightech.html | title=Malaysian PM defends legal action against bloggers | accessdate=2007-01-25] This lawsuit has spawned the Bloggers United campaign to defend bloggers and the freedom of expression, and Jeff Ooi and Ahirudin have chosen to defend in court. The situation resulted in the coverage of Malaysian blogging on various newspapers. A fund has also been set up to protect bloggers and support their activities, entrusting the fund to Marina Mahathir and friends.

See also

* Political blog
* Ahirudin Attan
* Lim Kit Siang
* Raja Petra Kamarudin
* Kenny Sia

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.jeffooi.com/ Screenshots...]
* [http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/blog/lemaklemang/ Lemak Lemang]
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/globalvoices/2005/05/20/blogger-profile-jeff-ooi/ Harvard law school review of Jeff Ooi's blog] .