PERUBATAN Cawangan Mansurah: HANGAT!!!-blogger menerajui Perubahan Negara!!(RTM TV 1)

Raja Petra Kamarudin

SHORT INFO

Name: Raja Petra Kamarudin / Raja Petra bin Raja Kamarudin
Nationality: Malaysia
Arrested: 25 Jul 07
Blog: Malaysia Today (English / Malay)
Wikipedia: Raja Petra Kamarudin
Global Voices Advocacy: Popular Malaysian Blogger Interrogated

BIOGRAPHY

Raja Petra Kamarudin is a Malaysian editor known for running the Malaysia Today website, on which he publishes political news and commentary articles. Kamarudin started the Malaysia Today website and his blog to facilitate open discussion on Malaysia’s political and social scenes. In his online writings, he is often very witty, humorous and sometimes critical of the current political developments in Malaysia. In his Malaysia Today’s columns, he advocates for transparency, accountability and justice in the Malaysian political system. He often denounces money politics, corruption, and ethnic polarisation that is deeply rooted in Malaysian society.

On July 23, 2007, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Information Chief of the UNMO¹, Malaysias largest party, lodged a police report against Malaysia Today for a July 11 blog entry on the website that deemed to contain writing that insult the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, degrade Islam and incite hatred and violence between local ethic groups². Kamarudin responded by releasing an article on Malaysia Today, lashing back on Taib with allegations of hypocrisy and corruption. A second police report against Kamarudin was believed to be lodged after the release of the article, and Kamarudin was summoned to the Dangi Wangi police station on July 25, 2007 for eight hours of questioning. His wife was also questioned for an hour³.

After his release from questioning, Kamarudin gave his reason on why Tan Sri Muhammad Taib made a police report against him, stating the reason is that the government wished to silence the nations bloggers before the Malaysian general election. Kamarudin was a previous detainee under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on April 11, 2001.