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Sabah eatery sues blogger for bad review
Google also named in Jothy's defamation suit for $2.5m in damages
KOTA KINABALU: The owner of a popular fish head curry restaurant here was so incensed by an online critique of his cuisine that he is suing both the blogger who wrote the review and Internet search engine Google for RM6 million (S$2.5 million).
Mr Tharumaraj Sivaperumal, the director of Jothy's Fish Head Curry, filed the civil suit at the Kota Kinabalu High Court on Monday.
The suit accuses blogger Poh Huai Bin and California-based Google of defamation, The Star newspaper reported.
Jothy's draws many tourists because it is recommended by the respected Lonely Planet travel guide series.
But in May last year, Mr Poh, who is originally from Sibu in Sarawak and who now lives in Kuala Lumpur, took issue with the restaurant's reputation for fine food in a scathing review on his blog.
Among other things, he reportedly wrote that the food was not fresh and the taste and texture were wanting, and recommended that the restaurant be avoided.
Mr Tharumaraj is demanding damages of RM6 million in an effort to prevent further criticism of the restaurant's fare. He also wants an order restraining Mr Poh from making more comments about the restaurant on his blog.
Jothy's is also seeking an order from the court to remove the articles in question from Google and other popular Internet search engines.
The company claims that its business and reputation, both locally and internationally, had been hurt by Mr Poh's online criticisms.
'My business in the heart of Kota Kinabalu relies largely on foreign tourists. After the blog was posted, the business from foreigners and tourists dropped a lot,' Mr Tharumaraj told The Straits Times.
Jothy's opened in 1987 and has been a big draw in Kota Kinabalu and the rest of Sabah, recommended in both Lonely Planet's guide books and its television series.
The lawsuit also named Google because it has conducted business within the jurisdiction of Malaysian courts and because its search engine is used regularly by Internet users in the country.
Food reviews on blogs have come under fire elsewhere before.
Two years ago, eateries in Singapore had warned bloggers of possible legal action for reviews that they felt were libellous.
In the United States, the yelp.com website as well as social networking sites have been threatened with legal action for negative reviews of restaurants and hotels.
Courts in cities such as Philadelphia, Dallas and New York City, where dining out is a popular pastime, have all handled lawsuits that stemmed from criticism in such reviews.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Google also named in Jothy's defamation suit for $2.5m in damages
KOTA KINABALU: The owner of a popular fish head curry restaurant here was so incensed by an online critique of his cuisine that he is suing both the blogger who wrote the review and Internet search engine Google for RM6 million (S$2.5 million).
Mr Tharumaraj Sivaperumal, the director of Jothy's Fish Head Curry, filed the civil suit at the Kota Kinabalu High Court on Monday.
The suit accuses blogger Poh Huai Bin and California-based Google of defamation, The Star newspaper reported.
Jothy's draws many tourists because it is recommended by the respected Lonely Planet travel guide series.
But in May last year, Mr Poh, who is originally from Sibu in Sarawak and who now lives in Kuala Lumpur, took issue with the restaurant's reputation for fine food in a scathing review on his blog.
Among other things, he reportedly wrote that the food was not fresh and the taste and texture were wanting, and recommended that the restaurant be avoided.
Mr Tharumaraj is demanding damages of RM6 million in an effort to prevent further criticism of the restaurant's fare. He also wants an order restraining Mr Poh from making more comments about the restaurant on his blog.
Jothy's is also seeking an order from the court to remove the articles in question from Google and other popular Internet search engines.
The company claims that its business and reputation, both locally and internationally, had been hurt by Mr Poh's online criticisms.
'My business in the heart of Kota Kinabalu relies largely on foreign tourists. After the blog was posted, the business from foreigners and tourists dropped a lot,' Mr Tharumaraj told The Straits Times.
Jothy's opened in 1987 and has been a big draw in Kota Kinabalu and the rest of Sabah, recommended in both Lonely Planet's guide books and its television series.
The lawsuit also named Google because it has conducted business within the jurisdiction of Malaysian courts and because its search engine is used regularly by Internet users in the country.
Food reviews on blogs have come under fire elsewhere before.
Two years ago, eateries in Singapore had warned bloggers of possible legal action for reviews that they felt were libellous.
In the United States, the yelp.com website as well as social networking sites have been threatened with legal action for negative reviews of restaurants and hotels.
Courts in cities such as Philadelphia, Dallas and New York City, where dining out is a popular pastime, have all handled lawsuits that stemmed from criticism in such reviews.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
