Malaysiakini raises US$123,600 in donations to cover contempt fine within hours of verdict

Just hours after being fined 500,000 ringgit (US$123,600) for contempt, a leading Malaysian news portal on Friday raised the full amount for the penalty through an online fundraising campaign – with citizens decrying the court’s decision as the latest blow for press freedom in the country.The Federal Court, Malaysia’s highest judicial body, on Friday ruled that Malaysiakini was guilty of contempt over five comments posted by readers on its website last year, saying the portal – one of Southeast…