KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31, 2009) : The Information, Communication and Culture Ministry will assist Broadcasting Department director general Datuk Ibrahim Yahya if he is taken to court for posting seditious and defamatory statements in his blog.

Rais Yatim

Its minister Datuk Seri Utama Rais Yatim said today the ministry will provide Ibrahim advice and guidance especially on legal matters.

"We will not leave him (Ibrahim) to face the issue alone," he said.

"We will utilise all our experience and justifications to defend whatever concerns the broadcasting body," he added.

Rais added he would look into the details and explanations of the issue.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik had lodged a police report against Ibrahim for posting a blog entry titled "Ada orang nak penjarakan saya" (Someone wants to imprison me).

Ng had alleged the entry contained seditious and defamatory statements and also called for Ibrahim to reveal the identity of the person said to have written the message posted on his blog, duniatiger.blogspot.com.

The next day, Ibrahim, in denying the allegations of sedition, said he had never intended to defame anyone through his blog posting and the statements posted on his blog were taken from a reader’s comments about his previous blog postings.

Meanwhile, Rais announced that a RM200 million fund to help develop creative products which had been allocated under Budget 2010 will be distributed through Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) loans.

He said companies in the creative industry including film and music, internet content, art and craft, can apply for the loans by submitting their project proposals to BSN for approval.

"A committee has been established to evaluate and approve projects suitable to get the loans."

Rais said the committee comprises high-ranking officials from his ministry, BSN, the Science, Technology and Innovation ministry, Multimedia Development Corporation, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).

He said the committee may be expanded to include other individuals from the creative industry later.

Asked if non-governmental organisations and associations can apply for the loans, Rais said they would need to form a company to do so.

Companies can seek loans from RM50,000 to RM5 million for one to five years and the finance margin is up to 90% of a project’s cost.

For more information, visit www.bsn.com.my.