Totally incredible! Webmaster of popular news portal Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamaruddin questioned for eight hours by the police yesterday but not a single question about the articles that he had written and all about the comments posted on the blogs!
The question everybody is asking is: Hasn’t the Police more important things to do than to harass Raja Petra and bloggers like reducing crime and eradicating the fear of crime — or investigate Raja Petra’s detailed allegations in his many articles about power abuses and high-level corruption by political leaders and public officials?
Is the Police an independent and professional service to uphold law and order to catch criminals without fear of favour including the high-and-mighty in politics and government or is it just an instrument of the powers-that-be to carry out its dirty work to victimize and harass critics and dissent?
At a time when public confidence have been greatly shaken by the failure of the police to control crime or to eradicate the fear of crime which have spiraled out of control in the country, the spectacle of the police wasting scarce resources to harass Raja Petra and bloggers while staying scrupulously clear of showing any interest in Raja Petra’s many serious allegations of corruption in high public places is not calculated to enhance the police’s public standing or image.
Can the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency and the Attorney-General explain why no investigation whatsoever had been launched into the myriad of corruption allegations on the Malaysia Today news portal, which would have justified the opening of scores or even hundreds of corruption files?
#1 by jerc on Friday, 27 July 2007 - 11:56 am
tough anti-terrorist law against bloggers?!?!
just plain ludicrous to make that notion, and to equate terrorists with bloggers (i think such a person who said that will definitely call out the army if his Guriltai Shul http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html
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Beware Bloggers! Bolehnation will soon have its very own “Great Wall” like one owned by our Beijing friends, if “still got enuf money”.
GREAT FIREWALL OF CHINAhttp://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=5199
Better than Diamond / Nesh / whatever, try it urselves
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DrM said it right, Malaysia is becoming a police state. Only the gov is correct and all else is wrong in a police state.
#2 by dawsheng on Friday, 27 July 2007 - 3:58 pm
“Think about the implications.” Jeffrey
Will BN pull the plug on internet? It is said that Malaysia Today’s readership has overtaken all mainstream media control by BN, this was why UMNO’s cyber-troopers were sent in to create the plot that MT has dangerous contents which endangered our country’s peace, so BN will have enough reasons to close MT down. UMNO has forgotten the internet is a different thing altogether, unlike print media which can be easily control. UMNO can detain RPK under ISA but this doesn’t mean that Malaysia-Today will stop operating. Furthermore detaining RPK under ISA will have more negative impact on UMNO considering the outcome of this episode. What is happening in Malaysia today is something all new together, UMNO took it as an attempt to overthrow the govt and retaliated by making a police report against RPK, and then hope to nail him using draconian laws. But UMNO has forgotten that it is the cyberspace and there are now an on-going cyberwar that they are fighting, and their enemies cme in many different forms. There’s only one question left in my mind, how effectives draconian laws such as ISA, OSA, multimedia acts are in the cyberspace, not forgetting we are fighting a cyberwar?
#3 by Godfather on Friday, 27 July 2007 - 7:38 pm
At least UMNO’s cybertroopers are doing something about it now. RPK’s blog has been down for several hours.
#4 by undergrad2 on Friday, 27 July 2007 - 10:05 pm
“Whilst many of us are grateful that we have a person like RPK with balls of brass …” Jeffrey
I am afraid I will have to disagree with you in your characterization of RPK as a man with “balls of brass” – I would like to believe that ours are not made of brass. Imagine walking with balls made of brass weighing you down each step of your way in search of justice and truth and equality for all mankind.
Thank you, but no thanks!
#5 by AhPek on Friday, 27 July 2007 - 10:27 pm
Jeffrey,
I’m only having a dig at you.In fact i fully concur with you on the honour and integrity of this person called RPK.I’ve not the slightest doubt on the honour and integrity of him for how else can a person with such convictions be not honourable.This type of free spirit with integrity is such a rare find — in fact this type of species is fast becoming extinct and present day Malaysia need to have many RPKs to turn it around.Just take a look around you and you’ll see many in public office drunk with power and greed.The ordinary Joe in the street can do nothing about it even though his taxes help to pay their salaries.Worse, religious and racial fanatism is on the rise.
A school-mate friend of mine who is also a prominent lawyer in town remarked recently that he used to often remind his son to return home to practise medicine but seeing recent events unfolding here, does a flip-flop by saying to him he wouldn’t mind if he chooses to stay put.And I’m sure sure there are many parents out there telling their children not to come back for there isn’t anything much for them here.If you’ll recall the recent speech by the Raja Muda of Perak stressing that all Malaysians must have a place under the Malaysian sun.Question –Does this have an impact on the thinking of the power that be.
The rot has indeed set deeply–so deepthat it is fast approaching a stage whereby there’ll not be enough shovels to shovel off all those huge mountains of shit. Do you want Malaysia to come to this irreversible stage? If NO, then what can be done? Share information with as many friends as possible who don’t go on the internet and argue with compelling reasons why one should vote opposition —any opposition in their constituency and any opposition is better than a BN candidate.That’s my suggestion on what I can do to help make a difference. Now what’s yours?
#6 by taikohtai on Saturday, 28 July 2007 - 8:10 pm
Don’t think the mata-mata can be that dumb as to not know how to access MT. I think they were being ‘set-up’ by their own bosses: M2 knew that he couldn’t back his statements up so the best way out must be to have the case botched. Now what is the best way to do that but to let the cops of low rankings take the rap? Remember C4 case? Almost similar modus operandi here. The blame game starts and ends with the gomen and the rakyat is nothing but pawns!
#7 by stealth on Sunday, 29 July 2007 - 1:26 pm
Well, first of all, our supposed hardworking police have to show the people that they are actually “doing something”. After all, they just had the highest pay raise. Otherwise, they’d have to answer to accusations of “gaji buta” (not that the anyone of authority would actually question them). They have to make a fuss out of what the bloggers say. It’s under their job list; just like drinking coffee and giving out summons. We should be really really proud of our Malaysian police trademark. I mean like, where else in the world could we find such a police force?
#8 by hanuman on Monday, 30 July 2007 - 12:01 am
Jeffrey,
Your input on Malaysia Today, 29/07: “Anti-Chinese posting on PM’ s official website” (actually that page was open to the public to say condolence to Pak Lah when his wife passed away).
It has been there since Mon 14 Nov 2005, 14:13 posted by DR NG SENG.
Is that person(s) who operates or owned the website be responsible for DR NG SENG posting ?
Malaysia Today link :
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/index.php?itemid=6856
Link on PM official website (DR NG SENG posting)
http://www.pmo.gov.my/doc/takziah.nsf/bymonth?OpenView&count=-1&RestrictToCategory=2005-11
Cheerz
#9 by Jeffrey on Monday, 30 July 2007 - 1:01 pm
Dear Hanuman:
Re your posting July 30th, 2007 at 00: 01.02, I have never given any input or comment or contribution to Malaysia Today and know not what it is all about or who that Jeffrey was. :)
#10 by Jeffrey on Monday, 30 July 2007 - 1:56 pm
Sorry Hanuman,
I got your question wrong. What agent provocateur one Dr Ng Seng has done is to give a clear message to the PM & the government that one cannot hold Webmaster or Blog Owner responsible under “strict liability†for seditious or defamatory postings, one such even escaped the PM’s notice having been in Prime Minister’s Office website for more than 20 months since Nov. 14, 2005.