Kuala Lampur, Sept. 3 -- The term "SLAPP" has increasingly entered the vocabulary of press freedom. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation are a genuine democratic concern.

When powerful corporations, governments or wealthy individuals use litigation primarily to intimidate critics, exhaust journalists financially or discourage legitimate public-interest scrutiny, the effect can extend far beyond a single article.It can intimidate journalists from publishing important and critical stories to avoid the risk of being sued by powerful individuals, corporations and the government. That would be detrimental to the crucial role of press freedom as a mechanism of check and balance.However, there is another danger that deserves equal co...