No holds barred to shut RPK up

No holds barred to shut RPK up

Posted by St Low
Wednesday, 24 September 2008 17:20




SEPT 24 - Raja Petra Kamarudin holds almost nothing sacred and has had almost everyone scared with his writings.


File picture of Raja Petra Kamarudin.

Those writings - a heady brew of facts, innuendos, speculation and hearsay - have now landed the Malaysia-Today news portal editor two years in the Kamunting Detention Camp, sparking outrage for most and relief for those at the receiving end of his scathing articles.

His detention is ostensibly for articles that have ridiculed Islam, Malaysia's official religion, leading the police to recommend incarceration under the Internal Security Act. "His articles could arouse anger among Muslims," Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying by local newspapers.

Others suspect political motives, and possibly so if one reads the pro-government New Straits Times with its editorial today that says, "The extension of detention orders on Raja Petra Kamaruddin, however, state the case for the proposition. This infamous blogger's unalloyed contempt for the national administration - and willingness to say anything to undermine it - had apparently won him legions of fans and cheerleaders, generating self-reinforcing loop of calumny with which to lynch the government.

"His fate should be sobering to all such prospective rabble-rousers; they should remember that rabbles are inherently fickle," the editorial said in an allusion to the his many articles that criticise and castigate Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his government.

The government had earlier tried to shut the blogger - popularly known as RPK - up by blocking his Malaysia-Today news portal but to little effect as the wily blogger had immediately set up mirror sites across the world - reflecting his ease with the medium and the authorities's lack of knowledge in dealing with cyberspace activism and news outlets.

The authorities then stuck to its tried and tested methods by bringing RPK in and sending him to Kamunting, making him an instant hero and martyr for freedom of expression and the press.

The Bar Council expressed that point when it said yesterday, "It confirms the impression that the ISA is being used for purposes other than national security. It is being used to stifle dissent."

"This is ridiculous. It is all a political move," said RPK's wife Marina Lee Abdullah.

"Incarcerating Raja Petra and others without affording them their due process is the height of injustice; and to do it during Ramadan is both cruel and vindictive. It is also an affront to our religious sensibility; the very act desecrates our holy month," Malaysian author and surgeon M.Bakri Musa said.

While RPK's detention is seen as a blow to the federal opposition which has relied much on cyber activists and non-governmental organisations to help prod the Barisan Nasional into a corner and perform badly in the last elections, the ruling coalition and its leaders will rejoice that their bugbear and constant thorn in the flesh has been put away.

His stay in Kamunting will help leaders like the government's prime minister-in-waiting Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak who has been the prominent blogger's target since Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu was killed in 2006 and the blame placed on people close to the deputy prime minister.

Najib, who just became Finance Minister after RPK was initially held for investigations under the ISA, has had his faith, fidelity and financial acumen questioned by the blogger's relentless vitriol in a stream of articles in the Malaysia Today news portal. The articles in his No Holds Barred column are now subject of sedition and criminal defamation cases.

Another Umno politician who has been a subject of Raja Petra's attention is Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, the party Youth deputy chief and prime minister's son-in-law, who is now aiming to contest for the Youth leader's post against a crowded field that includes Datuk Seri Khir Toyo and Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

With RPK out of the way, these and other politicians in Umno can charge ahead knowing full well that their chief critic will not be there to dog their every step and snap at their heels.

Raja Petra himself summed up that sentiment when he told the BBC in his last known interview, "Over the last four years, Malaysia-Today has been a real pain... The government has tried all sort of things - arrest, harassment, confiscation of computers, criminal charges and civil suits.

"They find that we do not let up and continue. I suppose the government is going for its last attempt, its last tango, to silence us."

- The Malaysian Insider


Comments (12)
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written by ahmadneil, September 24, 2008 17:24:21

Syed the snake shit can shut RPK but he won't shut the million MT bloggers.
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written by lavendergirl, September 24, 2008 17:29:22

You may have put RPK in jail but you cannot silence him. The truth is out there and it will come out.
report abusevote downvote upVotes: +20
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written by Democrats, September 24, 2008 17:34:04

A shame to cover their political ass and justifying "insult to Islam and Muslim" to lock him up.

In using the name of religion of your own to hide the real agenda, may you all involve in the incarceration of the RPK a true Muslim, have sleepless nights and die an ugly death.


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written by binkah1, September 24, 2008 17:35:19

If this is the way our govt is trying to show its caring to the rakyat, it definately is cutting the wrong way.
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written by tantart, September 24, 2008 17:39:47

we rakyat all know it very well that it is political motivated. moron hamid and the bunch of umno just wanna cover their ass and prevent any chance for RPK to have a fair trial...Law and Order and Democracy are dead in malaysia as long as UMNO still in power...

how on earth a human being can did this to another human being just because he revealed the dark side of a corrupted regime for us rakyat to see?? but then again, mayb i shud'nt using the term "human being" on this bunch of umno's devil...

Malaysia Today will stay on forever. We rakayat are all behind RPK. UMNO can try to hide the truth from the rakyat...but the TRUTH will prevail.
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written by Zapper, September 24, 2008 17:42:05

The detention of RPK will only accelerate the birth of many RPKs. This is most cruel not to mention inhumane during the month of Ramandan.

God is fair and judgememt shall be on the guilty parties.
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written by Bloodhound, September 24, 2008 17:46:40

The blogging community must now unite to carry on exposing all corruptions, plundering and abuses that went on so aggressively right under the nose of our "law enforcers". The only reason why those parties involved in these abuses & corrupt activities can succeed is because the main print media cannot or are not reporting them and also we have a compliant law enforcement.

They thought by putting away our RPK, things will get back to normal since he can no longer do anymore serious reporting.

Let this be served as a warning!

When one RPK is gagged, a hundred more will arise to take his place and more cases will be exposed!

If they try to gag these hundred RPK clones, thousands will arise to the challenge and thousands more cases will be reported - this is what we call Peoples Power!

All those who have solid information/evidences/witnesses on corruptions/abuses/plunderings of our nation's resources, please contact our cyber warriors. We must work together to keep our resources from disappearing in order to be able to help/benefit the poor and needy of the nation - regardless of race or religion.

Keep up the good work. Just make sure all allegations/claims are solidly backed up with evidences/documentations/witnesses - but be discrete (just in case of another raid on the messengers' cars, house or offices!)

The honest & righteous citizens shall triumph - against all odds!!

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written by Proud_2b_Malaysian, September 24, 2008 17:49:51

It's a truly sad day. We are not moving forward after 51 years. We stand by RPK.

Malaysia must move forward, not backwards. This is not the Malaysian aspiration of ONE NATION.

More http://proud2bmalaysian.wordpr...a-berjaya/
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written by R Hum, September 24, 2008 17:50:04

This is the real reason for PKR detention.

PKR is a threat to UMNO.

If PKR is not locked up, UMNO knows that should they call for snap election; the articles that PKR writes in MT will affect the outcome of the snap election. PRK attendance at PR ceramah is deadly and UMNO don’t want him around when they call for a snap election.

I suspect the government is intending to call a snap election, should Anwar is successfully in passing a motion of no confidence with Badawi.

UMNO don’t want PKR to be around, when they call for a snap election. That is the bottom line.

The only way out for PKR , out from Kamunting Detention Centre is for PR to form the government.

Consider this from Star “KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has agreed to consider the MIC’s appeal to release the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said.

Isn’t the above statement revealed that ISA detention and releases are determined by politicians and not by the police. If the Police consider them no longer a threat the police will release them. Here they are asked to be released, not by the police but by politicians.

The public know that ISA is a political tool and these chaps in UMNO think that we the public is stupid.
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written by educationist, September 24, 2008 18:01:43

It remains to be seen if incarcerating RPK at Kamunting will achieve the UMNOputra's objectives.
I certainly hope not.
MT is still up and running.
What the writer is alluding to are the no holds barred disclosures of wrong doing which has become RPK's trademark.
But, who knows, maybe just maybe RPK can yet spring a big surprise and let those idiots be left with more shit than they can handle
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written by CheGUvera, September 24, 2008 18:20:22

HI RPK DUDEs PLS ALSO BLOGG ON THIS SITE TOO, THIS IS MORE INT. & POSSIBILITIES OF MORE READERS OUTSIDE OF MSIA WILL READ IT AND HOW CRUEL THIS BN GOV IS ESP ON THIS MTH. OF RAMADAN. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7630789.stm. THE MORE WE WRITE ON THESE INT SITES WITH MORE FOREIGN READERS MAYB...THEN JUST MAYB... SOME ONE MORE POWERFUL THEN THESE COWARDS BN DUDES MIGHT LEND US A HELPING HAND. WE MUST TRY ALL MEANS POSSIBLE,IN THIS LAND OF BOLEH
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written by Enforcer, September 24, 2008 18:37:24

By the way, madam Marina Lee, how's bro Pete when you visited him today?
More concern about his health - low b/p and his heart condition.
Please find whatever ways to ensure bro has his daily medication.
The ALMIGHTY will be with US all the way!
Everything happens for a reason only known to the ALMIGHTY!
The GOOD and TRUTH will always prevail!
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