Is internet writters being victimised?

Every morning,before i started my daily routine,i'll read thru local English newspaper,Bangkok Post.Yeah,just to add a bit about myself,i am currently working in Bangkok,but will find time to be back in KL every weekend.That why you notice my last few posts were related to news from BP.
Today Bangkok Post page 7,prominently displayed' 'Writer,Paper lose libel suit'.It reads as follow:

A prominent political writer and opposition run newspaper must pay US2.1 million(66 millions baht)to a university in Malaysia's first successful libel suit involving online news,a verdict the defendants slammed yesterday as an attempt to muzzle dissent.Mr Raja Petra-who refused to attend court or appoint a lawyer to defend himself-wrote in his site that he will not pay the ordered compensation,calling the case a 'little charade of justice in Malaysia'.Along with other opposition activists,Mr Raja Petra has claimed the case was mounted by government allies to target its critics.Tian Chua of Party Keadilran Rakyat said his party will not pay and claimed 'this is a political move'.He added 'It's persecution.They want to ensure the Internet will also face the same kind of prosecution if they challenged authority'.The university 's vice chancellor.Nordin Kardin,denied the case was political motivated and hope the case would 'be a landmark for this 'cyber misconduct'.-AP

Please,i hope the BN crony like Nordin will be remove from the university.If he cant take the challenge to clear whatever allegation that published by RPK .then just keep shut up instead of hiding behind the BN sarong.I hope our new de facto Law Minister,Zaid Ibrahim will do something to make Malaysian judiciary system function fairly to protect Internet news writers and blogger as the above news published in foreign newspaper something that not to be proud of.