Is the axe finally coming down in the Malaysian cyberspace after the four-day arrest of Nathaniel Tan with the high-level Umno police report against Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, the webmaster of the popular political website, Malaysia Today?
In his article “A game of cat and mouse” on his website yesterday, Raja Petra had floated the theory put to him by “people in the intelligence community” that Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan had met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is currently in Australia to “discuss Malaysia Today, plus get Pak Lah’s blessing and permission to close Malaysia Today down and arrest me” in view of the “damage Malaysia Today has inflicted on the image of Sabah, the Royal Malaysian Police, and Pak Lah personally”.
Are the instruments of repression of the past regime, which had never been dismantled, being re-activated against criticism, dissent and expose of abuses of power and corrupt practices in the run-up to the coming general election?
Criminal law should not be abused to arrest, intimidate and silence any one, including Raja Petra for his many exposes against top police and political leaders who should avail themselves of the right and remedy to institute civil proceedings of defamation to vindicate their reputation and clear their name if Raja Petra is guilty of making baseless allegations against them.
I call on the Prime Minister to stand firm against opening the floodgates to allow criminal laws to be abused for personal, political or partisan purposes.
Otherwise, the question uppermost in the minds of Malaysians will be “After Raja Petra, who’s next?”
This is Malaysiakini’s story on Umno’s police report against Raja Petra:
Umno lodges report against Malaysia Today
Jul 23, 07 2:46pmUmno has filed a police report against political website Malaysia Today for allegedly publishing disparaging remarks against the King and Islam.
The report was filed at the Dang Wangi police station by Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib this afternoon. He was accompanied by some 30 people.
When contacted, Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman confirmed that a report was lodged.
“We will investigate the matter,” he said.
Taib told reporters later that the report was regarding remarks published on the website on July 11 and several other articles.
He claimed that the postings and articles were disrespectful to the King and Islam. According to him, they had the potential to create unrest in the country and strike fear in the people.
“The reports contain criminal elements which could incite anyone and cause fear. Maybe these people (bloggers) had forgotten that Malaysia is a country with many sensitivities,” he said.
Taib said such postings and articles could have a negative influence on the younger generation and urged for the police to take swift action.
Conspiracy theory
In an article published on Malaysia Today, Raja Petra wrote on the possibility of efforts being mounted to close his website down and have him arrested.In the article titled ‘A game of cat and mouse’, he claimed that the “intelligence community” informed him that Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan had met Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Australia recently to discuss this matter.
Malaysia Today had published numerous articles containing allegations of corruption and abuse of power against the chief minister and police chief, which had since been denied.
The website had also been highly critical of the prime minister and his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also Umno Youth deputy chief.
Meanwhile, Raja Petra, when contacted later, declined to comment on the report.
#1 by ProMalaysiaNotBN on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 11:18 am
“The reports contain criminal elements which could incite anyone and cause fear. Maybe these people (bloggers) had forgotten that Malaysia is a country with many sensitivities,†Muhd Muhd Taib said on his action against Raja Petra.
Try this version: “The [DPM's and Hishamuddin's utterrances and statements] contain criminal elements which could [and had] incite anyone and cause [had caused] fear [trepidation, outrage and unease]. Maybe these people ([DPM, Hishammuddin and all those fanatics]) had forgotten that Malaysia is a country with many [other Malaysians with true blooded patriotism] sensitivities,â€Â. New version ends.
The difference is again that of selective persecution. Like they say, “Rule no. 1: The Boss [UMNO and its lackeys] is always right; and, Rule no. 2: If the Boss is wrong, read and remember Rule no. 1.”
Ever since TDM’s tenure, when anybody criticises the Government, he / she is treacherous, seditious, and deserving of retention under the ISA. Nobody IN GOVERNMENT (BN dominated) can be labelled as such no matter how sacrilegious he / she can be in his / her actions or speech- TDM included. If at all, the greatest traitors of Malaysia are the politicians who have economically and systematically plundered the country’s wealth and resources by their corruption. Not only that, they would then awarded themselves titles of TUN to prevent their being investigated upon their retirement from office. After all, a TUN “The Untouchable Nobleman” – Untouchable as he’s free from prosecution and Nobleman as he’s done great for King and Country. What paradox. The TUNs have become just as much mockery as the DATUKS and DATINS which no longer carry the mark of respect and honour they once were conferred on dignitaries deserving of such accolades. Now the recent and upcoming TUNs are a shield against investigations from past misdeeds. One CM in particular is awaiting his TUNship before he dares to retire for fear of being investigated for widespread corruption.
Again, MalaysiaBolehism rears its ugly head. Or is it a multi-headed Hydra? It’s beginning to look like that since, it (big time corruption and mis-governance) can never be killed despite DAP, NGOs, Amnesty International and all those other do-gooders: they all make a lot of noise but all of them wear dentures only.
#2 by mendela on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 11:41 am
Let’s draft RPK to run as independent in the coming GE!
Yes, he will beat any UMO leaders without much efforts!
It will be fantastic to have him exposing all UMO’s wrong doings in the Parliament!
RPK is a great man!
#3 by mendela on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 11:44 am
Pls forward the below to all your friends and relatives. A real great read!
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/holds.php?itemid=6714
#4 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 3:12 pm
I have read “See you in hell Muhamad son of Muhamad” on Malaysia-today.net.
All I can say is I can recognise a devil when I see one. So it’s got to be ‘See you in hell Muhamad son of Muhamad”. Amen.
#5 by RealWorld on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 3:14 pm
“How many true and great Malays are there in the world?
There are also a few true and great Chinese, Indian, Europeans and etc. in the world” – sotong
Dear sotong,
I can see you are trying to twist your statement now but dude, you cant hide from your racist remarks. I still hold you to your earlier statement ‘There are very few true and great Malays…..he is one of them’ … and as expected no one in this blog dare to take you to task for your racist remarks. So much for Malaysian Malaysia, democracy, equal rights etc etc etc.
#6 by RealWorld on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 3:15 pm
“Heck, any one of us can become PM.” – Godfather
Why dont you put your money where your mouth is and go for it then!!
#7 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 3:25 pm
Malaysia is famously infamous, Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/07/24/1185043094060.html
“Malaysia denies crackdown on bloggers”
July 24, 2007 – 2:50PM
“Malaysia’s deputy prime minister denied the government is clamping down on bloggers after a prominent ruling party politician lodged a police report against a website, reports said Tuesday.”
#8 by sotong on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 3:44 pm
There are many true Malays, Indians, Europeans or Chinese.
But there are very few people who are both ” true and great “.
Does it matter if one is racist in an environment that promotes and encourages racism?
#9 by RealWorld on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 5:39 pm
It does when one is preaching for equal rights/opportunities/democracy etc.
Walking the talk… you know
….. but anyway blame the system and government as they are the convenient scapegoat
#10 by Bobster on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 6:11 pm
Blame the system and government as they are the convenient scapegoat – RealWorld
Are you so blind that cant even see the light. Please take out your sunglasses and open your eyes. Screwed up gomen system happen daily under the sun since 50 yrs ago. Unfortunately things getting worst nowadays. Country blessed with all kind of the natural resources, we should be on par and even better than Singapore aft 50 yrs independent. Unfortunately lately our cabinet ministers/UNMO started using 3rd world countries like Vietnam/Indonesia/Cambodia as yardstick against our country. Do you know our gomen now going reverse gear my friend.
Vision 2020 kena postpone to Vision 2057 under AAB slumbership.
#11 by a true aussie now on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 8:55 pm
Use people’s power to topper the facist regime. anyone??
So much whingings going on in cyberspace, but this facist regime is still being voted into power again comes next election.
You guys just don’t have the gust to throw them out of the office! :-(
#12 by RealWorld on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 9:50 pm
Dear Bobster,
I can see you conveniently ignored sotong’s racist remarks. And you are talking about sunglasses and etc! Dude, I think in your case it is not the sunglasses, you are just plain biased, period.
Dont talk about equality or democracy when you, yourself dont even have the moral principle to address sotong’s racist remarks.
How to have vision 2020 when there are blind racist like you and sotong around?
#13 by bennylohstocks on Tuesday, 24 July 2007 - 11:05 pm
This page is he didn’t like..
http://malaysiancartoons.blogspot.com/2007/07/malaysia-today-police-report.html
#14 by sotong on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 - 7:27 am
The system and the government are not convenient scapegoat.
It’s all about leadership with responsibility, accountability and competency. This is grossly lacking in our country.
The buck stops with the leader/government.
#15 by RealWorld on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 - 10:28 am
Dear sotong,
You can divert all the shortcomings to the system and government but your racist remarks showed your true self.
What leadership, accountability and competency you are rambling on about here!!? Will the country be better off with racists like you running it with backminded racist policies and thinking???
#16 by sotong on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 - 11:08 am
Dear RealWorld,
For a person to call another a racist, that person must be a racist too.
So the country will not be better of with racists like you and me – if we are racists.
#17 by Bobster on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 - 4:22 pm
RealWorld,
You are wrong! Please read thru the line carefully. Where did I support sotong racist remark?!
Every sane individual irrespective of race in this country know the TRUTH ie the system and government in this country need MAJOR SHAKE UP. Just go thru list of unsolved issues highlighted in the Parliament and letters written to the authorities and AAB in particular with No Reply/I Dont Know! There are more than a million civil servants in this country. Just need to assign a group to follow up on the each issue raised, you can easily solve at least half the complaints and consider a good achievement for the gomen. What did AAB do? Balls in his court and he is sleeping on it and let the opponents score the GOALS?! Exactly like Malaysia soccer team. How to compete with international players? No respect for this kind of leaders, many in the BN unfortunately!
#18 by goldenhub on Thursday, 26 July 2007 - 12:45 am
Dear RealWorld, I didn’t think sotong’s remark was racist at all. That is why I didn’t even bothered about it. But looks like it has got you all hot and bothered. Well, taking from your lead I decided to research a few things from the internet and what sotong said could be substituted with any of these:
“Hannity speaks of “great Americans.†OK. There are really very few “great†Americans  maybe a handful like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan and F.D.R” from http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/06/28/americans-arent-just-republicans/
” Below you will find just a few great Africans who represent a long line of intelligent, resourceful, courageous and beautiful people–”
from http://www.ebonyminds.com/heroes.htm
“There has been few great Chinese leaders for a very long time” from http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?s=27add146d781f49a498e8405201febf9&showtopic=956&st=15&p=4720656&#entry4720656
Now by your undoubtedly high and esteemed standards, all these people who said things similar to sotong are racists? Yeah right. Wake up to the real world RealWorld, pun intended. Only a racist would have seen those statements including sotong’s as racist. Don’t worry, it’s no shame admitting being a racist. Consider it your first step towards enlightenment or whatever that suits your world.
Now can we stop this petty discussion and get back to the real topic?
#19 by sotong on Thursday, 26 July 2007 - 7:59 am
Bobster,
You will be considered a racist, for political purposes, to be charged under the discriminative and baised laws, if you say something truthful and reasonable the politicians do not like to hear.
No reasonable person with basic common sense would conclude my remark is racist. If I am a racist, blind and baised non Malay, why should I acknowlege RPK, a Malay, as a ” true and great ” man.
There are very few” true and great ” Chinese……..Mr. Lim is one of them.
#20 by sotong on Thursday, 26 July 2007 - 9:49 am
There are a few true and great Burmese……..Aung San Suu Ky is one of them.
#21 by sotong on Thursday, 26 July 2007 - 9:54 am
There are a few true and great Indians………India’s ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is one of them.
#22 by AhPek on Sunday, 29 July 2007 - 2:19 pm
True Aussie,
You are right by saying that there are too much whinnings over cyberspace and only partially right that the voters have not got the guts to vote uot the present governing party,BN.The concept of parlimentary democracy really is a borrowed one from the British colonial master.It is not part of the value system in an Asian or more precise Malaysian environment.Debate whereby competing ideas fight for ascendency is never its tradition.
On top of this the government of the day has over the 50 years of continuous rule not only devised various instruments to gag the public especially during the 22years of Mahathir administration but also did a lot of gerrymandering to ensure the unbroken rule of UMNO in this racially divided nation for you see the political parties here are mostly formed along racial lines. Of course the governing BN party will retort that BN is a coalition of the main racial parties but then the truth of the matter is that they are not a coalition of equal partnership.There is only one over-powering domineering party in BN,UMNO.The third method to ensure continuity is to dispense goodies during election time.
Without an independent judiciary,without a free press,financial power or access to financial sources and with a very small enlightened populace (who are probably also netizens), the chances of the opposition parties are indeed slim.Besides the opposition parties are also not able to form a united opposition!!!
So you see, true aussie, the situation in Bodohland is very much unlike that of Aussieland.You have to thank your star that in Australia there is always this government-in-waiting ready to take over should the current powers that be make a slip.Not so in this Bodohland.The only guarantee to good governance and protection of citizen rights is the government in waiting.The original form of parlimentary democracy has now descended into something one can call dictatorship.