Transnational SLAPP against Australian Journalist in Thailand for criticizing a Malaysian Government Agency
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
Please note: I will be re-arrested at the Thai court on Monday and my bail may be substantially raised. Please help.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights urgently calls your attention to the charges and the arrest of Mr. Murray Hunter, an Australian journalist residing in Thailand, under Section 328 (defamation by publication) of the Thai Criminal Code [1] in connection with four articles that were published on his Substack between 13 and 29 April 2024, that allegedly defamed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). If convicted, Mr. Hunter faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine not exceeding 200,000 baht.
Mr. Hunter was arrested on 29 September 2025 at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, while attempting to depart to Hong Kong. The following day, Mr. Hunter was released on bail at 20,000 baht, pending a 17 November 2025 court appointment.
Case Background
Pre-Charging Stage
Mr. Hunter is an independent journalist who has covered various political and governance issues in Malaysia, often publishing critical analyses of the country’s leadership and institutions on his Substack blog. [2] MCMC has ordered internet service providers to block access to Mr. Hunter’s Substack in Malaysia. [3] From 13 to 29 April 2024, Mr. Hunter published four articles on his Substack criticizing MCMC. (See more below.)
Charging Stage
On 27 March 2025, the Bangkok South Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant (No. 404/2568) for Mr. Hunter based on a complaint filed at Yannawa Police Station by a representative of MCMC. On 29 September 2025, Mr. Hunter was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, while attempting to board a flight to Hong Kong. He was transferred to Yannawa Police Station where he was charged under Section 328 (defamation by publication) of the Thai Criminal Code. The penalty for violating this law is a maximum prison term of two years and a fine not exceeding 200,000 baht.
The Thai authorities are alleging that Mr. Hunter committed defamation [4] against MCMC based on the following quotes from four articles on Mr. Hunter’s Substack:
Article 1: “The 3Rs are an Instrument of Tyranny for Malaysia” [5]
“Behind the PDRM is the MCMC, under the chair of TS Salim Fateh Din, which is illegally blocking hundreds of websites of those they deem critics of the government. The MCMC is working with social media platforms to pull down material the establishment doesn’t agree with.”
“The MCMC, under Salim’s stewardship is also blocking critics of his own company MRCB, a clear conflict of interest and abuse of power. This is what happens when politically partisan people are put in charge of law enforcement agencies.”
“The approach taken by the PDRM-MCMC-JAKIM is using the 3Rs as a tool of suppression of freedom of speech is a selective manner is tyranny. This is also destroying the racial harmony of the nation.”
Article 2: “MCMC ordered by the High Court to produce police instruction to block weechookeong.com” [6]
“MCMC is subverting democracy, and covering up whistleblowers who are have genuine intentions in exposing corruption. The MCMC cannot become a private cyber police force, in the interests of individuals, rather than the national interest.”
“Too much evidence is building up of complicity and conspiracy between the MCMC and police for the benefit of protecting individual interests.”
Article 3: “MCMC is out of Control” [7]
“These raids on citizens homes are a form of intimidation to support ‘ketuanan’ chauvinists and cover up the exposure of corruption. MCMC is clearly entering the political arena and claiming to the be the sole arbitrator of the truth. There is little proper legal process going on leaving the victims of MCMC actions without any legal remedy to these home invasions.”
“UMNO stalwart Salim Fateh Din, who is chairman of the MCMC is using the agency for political purposes. Salim is building up a political gestapo without any checks and balances to restrain it from going overboard. The MCMC has become an extra-judicial para police force to intimidate citizens and cover up issues of corruption.”
Article 4: “Chegubard’s arrest and charging is a warning to all Malaysians” [8]
“Likewise the MCMC is under the control of an UMNO warlord and corporate mogul. The MCMC is acting far beyond its statutory powers in self interest. Together, the PDRM and MCMC are now a massive authoritarian ‘thought police’ intimidating and terrorizing the community. The authorities are flaunting the constitution.”
According to the Thai police, Mr. Hunter published four articles on his Substack account between 13 and 29 April 2024 that they considered defamatory toward the MCMC. They allege that the publications, accessible in Thailand, contained misleading information that could lead the public to believe the MCMC “operates unlawfully, is not credible, abuses its power, oppresses the public, and is hostile to democratic governance,” thereby damaging its reputation and subjecting it to public contempt.
Mr. Hunter was detained for approximately 24 hours at Yannawa Police Station before he was released on 20,000 baht bail, pending a 17 November court appearance.
The next court proceeding in Mr. Hunter’s case in Thailand will occur on 17 November 2025.
It should be noted that “a statement made in good faith … by way of fair comment on any person or thing normally subject to public criticism” does not constitute defamation under the Criminal Code. [9] Moreover, a person shall not be punished for defamation if he can prove that the statement at issue is truthful. [10]
Risk of Involuntary Deportation
Due to the ongoing criminal proceedings, authorities have confiscated his passport to prevent him from leaving the country. If convicted and sentenced to imprisonment, he faces the risk of involuntary deportation under the Immigration Act of 1979 [11].
Investigation and Court Proceedings in Malaysia
The MCMC stated that police reports were lodged in Malaysia and Thailand in April and June 2024 in connection with Mr Hunter’s publications. [12]
In Malaysia, on 15 October 2025, the Shah Alam High Court reportedly found Mr. Hunter liable for defamation in a civil suit brought by the MCMC. [13] Mr. Hunter stated that he had not been notified of the case prior to the judgment and had not received any official documents related to the proceedings, and the proceedings were conducted in his absence. Mr. Hunter also stated that no legal representative was present on his behalf during the court hearing in Malaysia. For these reasons, it is likely that the 15 October 2025 judgment is a judgment in default of appearance—a court decision against a defendant who fails to respond to a legal summons within a specified time frame. It is most likely not a judgment on the merits where the court heard evidence and arguments from both parties.
Works Cited
[1] “If the defamation is committed by means of publication of any document, drawing, painting, film, picture or letters made visible by any means, gramophone record or audio, visual or letter recorder, or by audio or visual broadcast or by announcement by any other means, the perpetrator shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years and to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand baht.”
[2] Murray Hunter,
.
[3] Freedom House, “Freedom on the Net 2024 – Malaysia,” https://freedomhouse.org/country/malaysia/freedom-net/2024.
[4] Under Thai law, a person commits defamation when he, “by communication made to a third party, imputes a fact to another in a manner likely to injure the reputation of such other person or cause such other person to be affronted or hated.” (Criminal Code, Section 326)
[5] [Murray Hunter,“The 3Rs are an instrument of tyranny for Malaysia,”13 April 2024,https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/the-3rs-are-an-instrument-of-tyranny?utm_source=publication-search.
[6] Murray Hunter,“MCMC ordered by the High Court to produce police instructions to block weechookeong.com,”19 April 2024,https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/mcmc-ordered-by-the-high-court-to?utm_source=publication-search.] [7] Murray Hunter,“MCMC is out of control,”25 April 2024,https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/mcmc-is-out-of-control?utm_source=publication-search.
[8] Murray Hunter,“Chegubard’s arrest and charging is a warning to all Malaysians,”29 April 2025,https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/chegubards-arrest-and-charging-is?utm_source=publication-search.
[9] Criminal Code, Section 329(3).
[10] Criminal Code, Section 330.
[11] Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), Sections 12(6), 36, 54.
[12] Malay Mail, “MCMC: Court ruling against Australian blogger Murray Hunter underscores legal boundaries of online expression,” 16 October 2025,https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/16/mcmc-court-ruling-against-australian-blogger-murray-hunter-underscores-legal-boundaries-of-online-expression/194843.
[13] Asia Sentinel,“Worrisome Implications of Malaysian Action Against Australian Journalist,”17 October 2025,
.The MCMC first blocked Murray Hunter Substack in April 2023. It has been blocked ever since. I am now fighting a civil action in Malaysia and a criminal case in Thailand both initiated by the MCMC. The future of Murray Hunter Substack is uncertain. You help is needed to assist the fight against the repression of freedom of the press. I am unable to write about Malaysian politics by order of the Thai police at this point. Please help: