Hidden hands in Raja Petra’s 2008 sedition charge to keep Altantuya case in focus
“They wanted to keep the Altantuya case in focus, so they dragged Petra in”
The Conspiring Whistleblower
On May 5 2008, for the first time in Malaysia’s history, Malaysian authorities resorted to a colonial-era law to bring sedition charges against a blogger and the author of a comment on an internet web site.
A top Bukit Aman official and his UMNO accomplice are believed to have been involved in implicating blogger and veteran anti-government activist Raja Petra Kamarudin in the murder of Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaaribuu, by feeding him distorted news through a third party.
As a result, Petra accused PM Dato’ Seri (now Tun) Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi of holding on to evidence that implicated his (then) deputy, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Visiting EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary Scot. Marciel raised the issue with Deputy Home Minister Dato’ Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, a political aide to (then) Prime Minister Abdullah, on May 6, resulting in Wan Farid improperly indicating that the proceedings against Petra served as a warning to other bloggers.
