8 Awesome Cases of Internet Vigilantism

This is a good read:

http://www.cracked.com/article_17170_8-awesome-cases-internet-vigilantism.html

I love this LOLcats:

Nothing wrong with Antyong making money

First off, it is my opinion that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Antyong making money on the side. He's doing what he loves anyway so why not get paid for it? We all know how passion drives humans and Antyong is passionate with both maps and money. Are you envious of Antyong, Bull?



If you are then its probably because there is a figure attached to it. RM5,000 is tangible. Have you thought about the money other people make like those GPS device sellers and the end-users who use the map to save time and money by not getting lost? These are probably intangible in value and you do not have an exact figure to put on it. But you cannot deny that they do make money indirectly.

The only thing Antyong did wrong was to take the maps away from Malsingmaps to create another community.

Hi from Fletcher Reede

Hello everyone. My name is Fletcher and I've been invited to co-blog and provide some balance to this website. I also hope to show a different aspect of the current situation affecting Malsingmaps and Malfreemaps. So stay tuned.

Oh, and thanks to Bull Cutter for inviting me.

Fletcher Reede

Fact 12: Anthony Yong earns RM5,000 a month at M3Tech

Anthony Yong has been kind enough to divulge his contract with M3Tech on his website at antyong.net:


Now we know why the last licensing deal at Malsingmaps did not go through. It was meant to benefit the Malsingmaps community but Anthony Yong prevented it from happening by vetoing the decision of the whole community which supported the deal. Why? Is it because if only one person was to benefit from this endeavour monetarily it would make it less complicated to disburse the money? Does Anthony Yong think it is enough that the community gets the free maps while ONLY HE gets paid RM5,000 a month just to attend one meeting a week plus the dividends from the profit of that company? It stinks to high heaven when everyone poured their blood and sweat to make the maps better. It is similar to the high bonuses and golden parachutes that CEOs of conglomerates receive while ordinary mappers and trackers enjoy their free one-meal-a-day maps. Its the same capitalism philosophy that brought down the world economy to its knees today.

ps What about other mappers at Malfreemaps? Are they making money over there too?

Help 5: Translation of website content to Mandarin

A reader has requested for a translation of this website's content in Mandarin. Please help translate and email to mfm.spin@gmail.com. Thank you.

Putar Belit 1: Peta Malsingmaps yang dihasilkan oleh Garmin tidak percuma selepas setahun

Kenyataan ini oleh SOSweet di Malfreemaps bertujuan untuk menimbulkan kesangsian terhadap Malsingmaps. Kenyataan "Percuma selama setahun selepas tarikh pertama GPS anda mendapat resepsi satelit" merujuk kepada peta TeleAtlas dan bukan peta Malsingmaps yang dihasilkan oleh Garmin.

Malsingmaps makes her stand loud and clear

Finally Malsingmaps has made their stance regarding the legal aspects of map ownership by seeking the counsel of an Intelectual Property lawyer:

Dear valued member and visitors,

Some of you may have heard allegations and claims over the rights and ownership over a portion of the map data at malsingmaps.com. We have also heard of claims of how certain individual claim all the hard work the community has contributed to this community for all these years as being attributable to him.

We flatly deny those claims on both counts. We state that the branding created at malsingmaps.com is by all of us, both mappers, users and contributors alike both past and present. And we have a large map spanning Peninsular Malaysia, East Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei and these have been made over the years, not by a single individual but by the community as a whole. The agreement with Garmin is the icing on the cake which validates and acknowledges the efforts of the entire community. It is an achievement that all of us can be proud of. We have at no time attempted to hide, devalue or not acknowledge any of
the works done by mappers and contributors of the past.

On the issue of legal ownership, our position has always been clear. We have the benefit of one of Malaysia's premier specialist Intellectual Property law firms who have reviewed the situation extensively. As contributors and users of malsingmaps, you are also accorded protection under the law. Any infringement, if at all, is not committed by malsingmaps but by others. Case law heavily supports our case, and in some of those cases, entitles us for a valid claim for injunctive relief. This is in addition to other causes of action that are open to us right now, today. We do not believe we need to resort to these unless it is absolutely necessary. It is a non-profit hobby anyway.

We are aware that cheap coffee shop talk by persons with no locus standi, no appreciation of the entire history nor understanding of the legal issues surrounding Intellectual Property law, is all too easy. 2 cents comments can be easily advanced backed only by emotions and interpretations which however cannot withstand legal scrutiny. Cheap shots and slanderous statements could be the preferred strategy by some, we on the other hand, prefer diplomacy and professionalism with the full backing of the law. We have the luxury of being civil todate because we have the law on our side.

The law is clear cut. Our legal position is crystal clear. We will exercise our rights to protect that position as and when required.

Be assured that what we did yesterday, what we do today and what we will do tomorrow, is lawful and we have not violated any laws. Of that we are certain. But you don't have to take our word for it. We didn't. We rely on professionals who are subject matter experts in the field of intellectual property.

So let's move on. There are more exciting things coming up in April 2009 where Garmin is concerned. Your continued support is very much welcomed and appreciated. So stick around, enjoy the free maps and enjoy this hobby site. As our motto goes "powered by the community for the community".

MSM Team

I have been wondering about Malsingmaps' stance on this copyright issue for a long time. Why did they have to rebuild the North Peninsular Map with the help of Masmap when Malsingmaps had the legal rights to the source data file from the very beginning? With the issue of copyright out of the way, I hope Malsingmaps and Masmap can now continue where the previous mappers left off.

On a side note, Malfreemaps has made a lot of noise about the issue of Malsingmaps "copying" their data on their website. But have they sought legal counsel regarding this issue? Have they written officially to Malsingmaps about this alleged copying? I don't think so. I think Anthony Yong is making a lot of noise rather than seek legal reprieve so that his valued contributors would be all fired up and do more tracklogging for him. Anthony Yong is one smart man. He does not seek legal reprieve because he knows he has no ground to stand on.

Fact 11: Malsingmaps and Malfreemaps could coexist if...

Malsingmaps and Malfreemaps could coexist if the foundation of Malfreemaps were not based on half truths, deceptions, outright lies and hooligans creating a lot of trouble in Malsingmaps. All these things lead to what Malfreemaps is today, no matter how good their maps are. Malsingmaps community cannot exist in peace because of Malfreemaps' antics.

The community of Malsingmaps have been quiet for 7 months because they wanted to respect Malfreemaps' right to coexist and hopefully provide a healthy competition. But competition has to be healthy and not dirty. Otherwise new members will be misled while creating animosity between old members.

Gangsters and mafias employ the same deceptive tactics. They try to wash their sins by providing charity to their church/mosque/sinagogue/temple. But the priests/imams/rabbis would not accept charities from ill-gotten gains. Nor should we accept the maps provided by Malfreemaps as they were achieved by ill-gotten means of half-truths, deception, outright lies and the encouragement of hooliganism amongst their deciples.

We will be quiet no more. We will be heard and we will spread the truth. So help us God.

Anthony Yong makes money even if Malsingmaps is preloaded into M3Tech Garmin GPS devices

A reader commented via email that even if Malsingmaps is preloaded into GPS devices sold by M3Tech, Anthony Yong still makes money by virtue of him being a shareholder of that company. He is one smart man and laughing all the way to the bank. Either way he wins.

See also related post: M3Tech in discussion with Malsingmaps to preload their GPS devices with Malsingmaps

Stats: The first 24 hours

The first 24 hours saw only 50 visitors coming to this website. This is encouraging but we need to spread the awareness more. Malfreemaps' hooligans use PMs to spread their lies about Malsingmaps. Let us use their strategy. Everytime you see a spin at Malfreemaps, send them a link to the appropriate Spin, Fact or Theory on stopthespinmfm.blogspot.com via PM or PostReply directly in their forums. Preempt by sending this URL to your friends via email, SMS and word of mouth now and ask them to spread the word. The truth must prevail. Thank you.

Fact 10: The Admins at Malfreemaps encourage mat rempits by not restraining them

This is true. See:

http://www.malfreemaps.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1785&start=0

This kind of behaviour is not tolerated in Malsingmaps because the Admins there maintain peace and order.

Do not support Malfreemaps because they hire mat rempits like fauzee and sharkteef to do their bidding. Mat rempits are hooligans.

Note: In the above thread, fauzee wanted to post about the alleged copying of Malfreemaps by Malsingmaps in the latter's forum but his ID was blocked by the admins. Can someone PM fauzee these links:

Spin 2: Mappers own the maps
Spin 5: Malsingmaps reversed engineered KL, PRK, NPM and EPM
Theory 2: Moles in Masmap?

Thank you.

Help 4: Translation of website content to Bahasa Malaysia

A reader has requested for a translation of this website's content in Bahasa Malaysia. Please help translate and email to mfm.spin@gmail.com. Thank you.

Help 3: Lowyat.net censored the truth

Apparently they removed the link to this website. See this thread:

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=966434

Please spread the word. The truth must prevail.

ps Since the said thread at lowyat.net has been closed (cannot post a reply), responses to the above posts will be done here. Watch this space. Thank you.

Fact 9: Using an unauthorized Garmin map will void your Garmin device warranty

This email just in: Now that Malsingmaps uses the Garmin Native Compiler to make their maps, loading Malfreemaps will void your GPS device warranty.

Rumour has it that M3Tech, the company that employs Anthony Yong, is in talks with Malsingmaps to preload their GPS devices with Malsingmaps and NOT Malfreemaps.

Spin 11: Anthony Yong earns no commission from sales of GPS devices at M3Tech

This just in via email: In his declaration to Malfreemaps members, Anthony Yong says he doesn't earn any commission from sales of GPS devices sold by M3Tech. What he doesn't tell you is that by being a shareholder, this allows him to earn more money from those sales, i.e. from M3Tech's profit.

If a Garmin GPS device costs RM1000, the commission that goes to the salesperson is usually about RM50-RM100. Now hear this: The profit of the sale for that particular GPS device can be anywhere between RM300 to RM500! A profit is a markup of the price from cost. That's a lot more "commission" than a salesperson would get!!

Now bear in mind that M3Tech's core business is not just selling GPS devices. See here for M3Tech's other Products & Services. That's a lot of money to be made there as a shareholder!!

Anthony Yong is one smart man. He is transparent no doubt but lets take that transparency a little further. Please divulge the monthly consultant fee you are getting from M3Tech and yearly dividends as a shareholder.

If we do not get the dividend data from Anthony Yong himself, we can still find out from the Registrar of Companies (ROC) how many percent of shares he owns in M3Tech and what was M3Tech's profit for fiscal year 2008. From there we can calculate the dividend he earns as a shareholder. Can someone volunteer to spend RM30 to do an ROC search for M3Tech and send me the Company Audited Reports for 2008, usually in PDF format (see sample). Thank you.

Update 19th March 2009: Anthony Yong earns RM5,000 a month at M3Tech

Fact 8: Anthony Yong is a shareholder of M3Tech

This is Anthony Yong's declaration in his own forum, malfreemaps.com:

"4. I am also a shareholder of m3tech, which is a MESDAQ-listed PLC"

Fact 7: Sequence of Events that lead to the breakup of Malsingmaps into Malfreemaps

January 2008 - Anthony Yong offered by M3Tech to work as a consultant

24th March 2008 - Anthony Yong initially declines offer from M3Tech to work as a consultant. This polite refusal tactic is usually used by prospective employees so that prospective employers would raise their offer... and it worked too.


14th July 2008 - Anthony Yong pledges to open his map data to prepare for his duty at M3Tech, probably in the hopes of getting other mappers at Malsingmaps to open their data as well. This did not work.



24th July 2008 - Anthony Yong accepts offer from M3Tech. Mentions about making big bucks. Money is indeed the root of all evil.



7th September 2008 - Anthony Yong breaks from Malsingmaps to form Malfreemaps. See image at the bottom of Fact number 6. This is the darkest September for the mapping community of Malaysia, Brunei & Singapore.

Do you have more information on this timeline? Please send an email to mfm.spin@gmail.com

Spin 10: Anthony Yong drew KLR

This just came in via email: KLR is a combination of maps drawn by many mappers who contributed the source map files, called the MP file. How could Anthony Yong claim that KLR was drawn by him? It is preposterous to claim that the KLR was drawn by a single person when in actual fact, many mappers were involved.

The spin of Anthony Yong stops here.

Fact 6: There are more hooligans in Malfreemaps than Malsingmaps

A hooligan is a bully; a cruel and brutal fellow.

Recently, a Harvard Business School assistant professor who had access to customer receipts from dozens of adult websites found something titillating: The more conservative and religious a state is, the more likely its residents are to buy Web porn. See Red-state buy the most online porn.

If you didn't know, red-states mainly consists of rednecks who votes for the Republican party, led by President George W. Bush - the guy who brought the world into the worst global depression since the great depression of the thirties. Rednecks are an uneducated, unsophisticated, ignorant, and prejudicial residents of the rural Southern US. They are hooligans who likes to create havoc.

Recently also, a user by the name of waypoint put up a tongue-in-cheek website to evaluate the number of "rednecks" in both mapping community. It appears that there are more hooligans in Malfreemaps than Malsingmaps judging by the number of people who want Malsingmaps to be either burnt, shot, hanged, drowned, exploded (like Altantuya), beheaded and poisoned. This is a fact.

Don't be associated with hooligans. Stop supporting Malfreemaps.

Fact 5: The future of mapping is with the Garmin Native Compiler

Garmin has officially announced Malsingmaps as the map supplier for Malaysia and Singapore. Currently Malfreemaps is compiling with an illegal Garmin compiler called cgpsmapper. As far I know, Garmin has never approved of this cgpsmapper compiler and thus the activities at Malfreemaps are at best illegal: Producing maps in a proprietary Garmin format.

I have been led to understand that the cgpsmapper compiler yields:
1. Large compiled map size
2. Slow recalculations on wrong turns
3. Possibility of ruining your GPS device with the illegal maps, thus voiding your warranty

Thus I strongly believe that the future of Malfreemaps is uncertain. I hope contributors of Malfreemaps will realize that their efforts will meet a dead-end if they continue with the illegal Garmin map format compiled by cgpsmapper.

The future of mapping is in the native Garmin format which is with Malsingmaps who can produce compiled Garmin maps using Garmin native compilers.

Fact 4: Anthony is a hypocrite

Early in dark September 2008, Anthony wrote in his farewell post to Valued Contributors (normal Malsingmaps members cannot access this forum section so I have captured the screen as proof below):

"2. Currently, our community faces one uncertainty - whether mappers will keep sharing their maps forever. My favourite example is, "What if Antyong had sold his maps instead of passing to Sunn?". To ensure continuity, we need a community structure where maps are updated by a team of mappers with senior mappers having access to all maps. Therefore if any individual leaves, the community soldiers on. Even in the unfortunate event that we are betrayed by one of our own e.g. stealing our map source, the community can still progress."

Duh! What did Anthony do when he left Malsingmaps? Exactly what he preached NOT to do! This is a fact: Anthony Yong is a hypocrite. Princeton defines a hypocrite as a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his motives.

He took away the KL, PRK, NPM and EPM map tiles to Malfreemaps and prevented Malsingmaps further edits on these maps. I hope Malsingmaps has the guts to ignore his antics for the sake of the community. We have been deprived of a good full and updated map of Malaysia & Singapore for the past 7 months because of this hypocrite that is Anthony Yong.

Help 2: How much is Anthony's consultant fee at m3tech?

If you know the salary figure and can prove it with physical evidence, such as a payslip, please send it via email to mfm.spin@gmail.com. Thank you.

Update 19th March 2009: This question has been answered here.

Help 1: You can help too

If you have a spin, fact or theory about Malsingmaps or Malfreemaps, send it to mfm.spin@gmail.com. Your identity will be protected.

You can also help by linking to this blog to spread the truth. As a sign of solidarity, you may place a link to this blog, http://stopthespinmfm.blogspot.com/, or use the logo below in your Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, forum signature and blog. Help us spread the word as by doing so you will increase the pagerank of this blog when surfers google for 'malfreemaps'.

Fact 3: Stopping the spin at Malfreemaps

Princeton defines spin as making up a story. Translated as putar belit in Bahasa Malaysia. In other words, a lot of stories told by Anthony Yong of Malfreemaps has been twisted away from actual fact. http://stopthespinmfm.blogspot.com/ aims to correct these spins with facts.

Watch out for a timeline of events that went on last year, the year of the rat, influencing the split of Malsingmaps to Malfreemaps. Events will unfold on how greed swayed a man's principle and caused good friends to become enemies.

Fact 2: Malsingmaps mappers have never been given an all expense paid trip to Budapest.

This is true.

To see the one who did, see Fact 1.

Spin 9: Malfreemaps data is not for sale

Anthony Yong wrote in his blog that Malfreemaps data is not for sale. This contradicts with his parting words when he left Malsingmaps:

5. Our long term future is not secured because we are releasing unauthorised Garmin maps. Our agreement with Mapking lapses when they release Mapking 2009. I am consulting part-time with a local IT company. I am working on a win-win deal between the company, the new community and a software navigation company. If I can get the new community to be recognised as an official map provider, we will doubt our future no more.

As they say on The O'Reilly Factor; The spin stops here. Malfreemaps data IS for sale.

Theory 4: Malfreemaps donations goes to a Hosting Fund to maintain their server

Those members who donated money to Malfreemaps are actually buying "shares" for Malfreemaps Incorporated. They will get their dividend when money is obtained from Licensing. This is a theory and not a fact.

This is a fact: When members were requested to donate to the Malfreemaps Hosting Fund, Anthony Yong posted on www.antyong.com (which has been conveniently taken off-line) that they would stop collection when they get enough money for 2 years hosting.

There are now more than RM10,000 in the account of Yong Chee Hoo alias Anthony Yong. Can you trust him with your money?

This is another fact: Malsingmaps, to date, has never asked her members for money.

Theory 3: Why Sunn and Dinamix (OngCC) followed Anthony to Malfreemaps

Is it because Anthony's accusations towards Malsingmaps were true that these good mappers followed him to form Malfreemaps? I don't think so. I was made to understand that these mappers were trained by Anthony himself so they had a loyalty issue to contend with. Naturally they would believe any tale fed by their teacher even if the tales were totally spun.

If this theory is true, I hope these good mappers will do the right thing for the sake of the mapping community of Malaysia and Singapore. Rejoin Malsingmaps.

Spin 8: Malsingmaps chased the KL, PRK, NPM and EPM mappers out

This appears to be untrue. The mappers was influenced by Anthony Yong to move to Malfreemaps for his own agenda. See Fact 1.

I am glad to know that Malsingmaps has opened the doors for the old mappers to return (see image below). I certainly hope they do. Mappers like sunn and dinamix (ongcc) are legendary in their attention to detail.

Spin 7: Malsingmaps forces users to contribute by locking their maps

The locking of maps at Malsingmaps was initiated by Anthony Yong while he was at Malsingmaps. This locking requires users to submit data before being eligible for the unlock key.

When Anthony moved to Malfreemaps he no longer locks his maps. This is to entice users to use Malfreemaps over the locked Malsingmaps.

Malsingmaps now gives out the unlock key to her users freely, not requiring any prior contribution.

Fact 1: Anthony Yong works for m3tech and went to an all expense trip to Budapest

This is Anthony Yong enjoying Budapest:

This trip was sponsored by m3tech.com as Anthony works there as a consultant. He wrote in his blog here and here that his main job at m3tech was to get the map data for this company. That is what he is doing now under malfreemaps.com.

Theory 2: Moles in Masmap?

Masmap appears to be helping Malsingmaps to remap KL, PRK, NPM and EPM since the departure of the mappers of these tiles to Malfreemaps. I have been led to understand that Masmap is an open source community. By virtue of being open source, I think anyone can become a mapper, including members of Malfreemaps.

Could Malfreemaps have planted a mole in Masmap to deliberately copy data from Malfreemaps then "accuse" Malsingmaps of copyright infringement? This could also have been done to derail Masmap's relationship with Malsingmaps.

This is just a theory and not a fact.

Theory 1: Is Anthony hard up for money?

Anthony is involved a lot with the stock market. He is reputed to have over half a million riggit in his war chest according to his blog. A person with that kind of money doesn't need to work at m3tech.com but he has started to work there since 2008, the same year he formed his rebel mapping community, malfreemaps.com. Why?

Could it have something to do with the current economic recession that is affecting the whole world? I don't know. If it is true then he has done the utmost dishonor by splitting up the mapping community in Malaysia and Singapore by forming malfreemaps.com under the pretext of protecting the community, when in fact he had to supply map data to his employer, m3tech.com. I certainly hope that Anthony is not hard up for money.

This is a theory and not a fact.

Spin 6: Malsingmaps delete posts to hide their guilt

Although I am not a fan of censorship and forum post deletion, I can understand why posts are deleted at Malsingmaps: to protect her members from mudslingers from malfreemaps.com. Even a lot of my friends do not like the politics of deception going on at malfreemaps.com.

Malfreemaps encourages mudslinging in open forum to probably mislead their user base as Malsingmaps members do not browse there to answer. So arguments over at Malfreemaps are one sided mostly. So much for transparency.

Malsingmaps appears to protect its users from these spinners. Good for them!

Spin 5: Malsingmaps reversed engineered KL, PRK, NPM and EPM

Rumour has it that Anthony had already resigned as a mapper at Malsingmaps well before he formed Malfreemaps and gave his source file to the remaining mappers at Malsingmaps.

Later on, when he formed Malfreemaps he decided to take the source file back.

So mappers at Malsingmaps did not reverse engineer the maps it seems. Anthony had already given his source map file to the remaining mappers at Malsingmaps.

Also refer to Spin number 2 on Map Ownership.

Spin 4: Malsingmaps copied maps from Malfreemaps

So far I haven't seen any proof of this. The KL, PRK, NPM and EPM maps at Malsingmaps are still not updated since September 2008, when Anthony and his mappers (sunn and dinamix aka ongcc) left Malsingmaps with these tiles, creating a rebel website, malfreemaps.com.

On the other hand I saw Anthony's posting about Malsingmaps accusing Malfreemaps of copying Jerome's Singapore map of which Anthony admitted and took the map out of Malfreemaps release, only to be put back later on with the details adjusted. So you adjust the detail a little bit here and there and that makes it alright? That isn't copying from Malsingmaps? Please don't insult our intelligence Malfreemaps. I've heard inside rumours that Jerome's easter eggs are still inside Malfreemaps.

Malfreemaps are pirates. They only appear holy on the outside but are crooks on the inside it seems.

Refer to Spin number 2 about Map Ownership.

Spin 3: Mappers at Malsingmaps are making money

The mappers at Malsingmaps have categorically denied this. The one that is making money out of this endeavour is only one person: Anthony Yong, the owner of malfreemaps.com. He is employed by m3tech.com as a consultant to supply map data.

Spin 2: Mappers own the maps

Anthony Yong claims that he owns the maps drawn from community contributions when he was a mapper at Malsingmaps.

No, the community owns the maps. The mappers are merely custodian of the maps. The mappers are nothing without community contribution of tracks and POIs.

Spin 1: Garmin compiled Malsingmaps will not be free after a year

This post by SOSweet at malfreemaps.com was deliberately meant to mislead malfreemaps.com's userbase. The sentence "FREE update at anytime up to one year after the date of your unit's first satellite acquisition" refers to the TeleAtlas map and not the Garmin compiled Malsingmaps it seems.