Social activist Fahmi Fadzil's 4,253 followers need not be taken aback by a series of strange tweets from him: he has been ordered to do so - to send out public apologies for defaming a publishing company.

In a possibly unprecedented settlement, Fahmi was ordered to tweet "I've DEFAMED Blu Inc Media & Female Magazine. My tweets on their HR Policies are untrue. I retract those words & hereby apologize."

NONEAs part of the settlement not to take the case to court, he has been told to tweet that phrase 100 times over three days.

It all started when Fahmi - who is also political secretary to Lembah Pantai MP and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar - wrote on his Twitter account @fahmi_fadzil a series of tweets lambasting Petaling Jaya-based Blu Inc Media.

Back in January, he wrote that a friend had been treated poorly by her employers at Female magazine because she was pregnant, resulting in her tendering her resignation.

"My friend's wife, who works at FEMALE magazine, has tendered her resignation because they're giving her so much shit because she's pregnant," he wrote on Jan 25.

However, realising his mistake, Fahmi wrote an apology several hours later on the same day.

"I would like to formally & unequivocally apologise to Blu Inc and FEMALE mag for my tweets earlier today. All inconveniences are regretted," he wrote, also on Jan 25.

NONEDespite the apology, Blu Inc's lawyers sent him a letter of demand in March, saying the tweets had "defamed" the company, which owns a stable of popular magazines including Her World, Glam and Eh!, as well as the licensee for Men's Health and Seventeen, among others.

The letter demanded that Fahmi writes a letter of apology, pays damages and also takes out advertisements in daily newspapers.

Not being able to afford newspaper advertisements, which can cost up to tens of thousands of ringgit, Fahmi agreed to settle the matter with a series of apologies on Twitter instead.

Contacted by Malaysiakini today, he said that this was a "good learning experience" for him. "I've learned that you have to take responsibility for what you tweet."

Unprecedented form of settlement

Fahmi's lawyer Syahredzan Johan believes that this form of settlement for defamation, with a series of apologies on Twitter, is a first in Malaysia.

NONE"When it comes to defamation on Twitter, we are in unchartered waters... and in terms of settlement, this is definitely unprecedented," Syahredzan said.

However, he does not think that this will open up the floodgates of legal action against tweeps - a nickname for people who tweet - who may have wronged another party.

"Not all companies will take action (against what was tweeted) in the first place. But should they do, the response from the people they're taking action against would surely vary.

"The only reason why this (Fahmi's case) came about was because both parties agreed to it, so it really depends. At least this allows for a form of settlement, at least this is a way out," he said.

But with the series of apologies that Fahmi has to tweet for the next three days, Syahredzan - who is a member of the Bar Council's MyConstitution team - said he hoped it will not deter people from voicing their opinions on Twitter.

"I just hope this won't be the start of people being afraid to speak up. Just be careful and be aware of potential repercussions. But that in itself shouldn't be a bar for you to stop (tweeting). I certainly do not hope that people will back off from voicing their opinions," he said.

As Fahmi tweeted his fourth apology since 9am today, the settlement may also be backfiring on Blu Inc, for several people have criticised the publishing house, calling it "petty" and "retarded".

The legal representatives from Blu Inc could not be reached for comment at press time.