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Writers
charged
with
sedition
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
ETALING JAYA: Police
P
yesterday slapped sedition
charges on a blogger and
an author, setting the stage for
sensational trials later in the year.
Malaysia Today webmaster
Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin and
businessman and writer Syed
Akbar Ali pleaded not guilty to
posting seditious remarks on the
former’s website.
Raja Petra was charged under
Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act
1948 with publishing a seditious
article entitled “Let’s Send the
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Wednesday
May 7, 2008
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Raja Petra had hours earlier
turned up at the Duta Court
Complex, where police had told
him to be. However, after waiting
for more than an hour, he received
a call on his handphone from the
police telling him to go to the PJ
sessions court instead.
Raja Petra was vocal in
condemning the sedition charge,
saying that there was nothing to be
worried about.
“I have been asked if this
sedition charge is part of a war on
bloggers. We bloggers declared war
on the government
four years ago.
So it is not the
government who
has declared war
on us. We want
to change the
government,” he
said, adding that he
had expected to be
charged.
Raja Petra was
detained under the
Internal Security
Act in 2001, and
freed the same year.
His departure
to Sungai Buloh prison was met
with shouts of “Makkal Sakthi”,
“Reformasi” and “Suara Petra,
Suara Malaysia.”
Raja Petra’s website issued a
call for donation of RM1 per person
to his legal aid fund. At 6.45pm,
RM24,500 had been credited to
his CIMB bank account and the
fund had collected an additional
US$3,283.61 through a Paypal
Raja Petra in the court holding account. It has been closed since.
cell. He refused to post bail Syed Akbar, a former banker
and was taken to Sungai who now runs a business with his
Buloh Prison; Syed Akbar wife on Jalan Mesjid India, was
Altantuya Murderers to Hell” in his (right) was freed on bail. represented by Ashok Kandiah,
blog www.malaysia-today.net on Haris Ibrahim and Malik Imtiaz
April 25. He allegedly committed Sarwar, Bernama reported.
the offence at his house in Bukit with publishing seditious remarks Gelugor MP Karpal Singh, K. Deputy Public Prosecutor
Rahman Putra, Sungai Buloh. in a comment posted in Malaysia Balaguru, Selayang MP William Ishak Yusof, assisted by Hanafiah
The 58-year-old charismatic Today. He allegedly committed Leong, J. Chandra, Segambut MP Zakaria, recommended to the court
blogger caused a stir when he the offence at Zeenath Begum Lim Lip Eng and Jeswinderjit for him be allowed bail of RM5,000
rejected sessions judge Nurmala Jewellers Sdn Bhd, Jalan Mesjid Singh. but Ashok pleaded for a lower
Salim’s bail offer of RM5,000, India, on June 5 last year. His prosecution was a media amount.
choosing instead to go to Sungai The comment headlined “It event at the court, with blogger Judge S. M. Komathy Suppiah
Buloh prison, until the trial fixed is easy to impress the Malays” friends and Pakatan Rakyat set bail at RM3,000 with one
for Oct 6-10. was made in an article entitled politicians showing support. surety and fixed June 10 to hear
If found guilty, he could be “Malaysia’s Organised Crime Among those who turned up were submissions by both parties on a
jailed for up to three years and/or Syndicate: All Roads Lead to Parti Keadilan Rakyat president preliminary objection raised by the
fined up to RM5,000. Putrajaya” published by Raja Petra Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan defence which had claimed at the
Syed Akbar was also charged on the popular website. Ismail, Lim Kit Siang and MP start of proceedings that the charge
under the same section in the Raja Petra was represented for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah was groundless.
Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court by a legal team comprising Bukit Anwar. Syed Akbar’s wife posted bail.