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Royal blogger on hunger strike

Raja Petra's wife says his liver is already damaged, fears for his health

JESSINTA TAN
jessinta@mediacorp.com.sg

MALAYSIAN blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin — detained after writing an article allegedly linking a top leader to the killing of a Mongolian woman — has gone on a hunger strike.

"It's a protest, he's not guilty and he's being punished," his wife, Ms Marina Lee Abdullah, said yesterday. "The last time he did this, his liver was damaged. I don't think he's going to last that long."

In April 2001, Raja Petra and about 10 other opposition activists were rounded up under the Internal Security Act — which allows for detention without trial — for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He was detained for 52 days, during which he refused food and water.

The editor of the Malaysia Today news portal was jailed on Tuesday after being charged with sedition over an online article.

The story allegedly implied that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife, Ms Rosmah Mansor, were involved in the murder of Ms Altantuya Shaariibuu, 28, a Mongolian model who was killed with explosives outside Kuala Lumpur.

Raja Petra has been trying to rebuild the credibility of the country's royal families.

The 57-year-old is a member of the Selangor royal family. His uncle, the late Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, was the 11th King of Malaysia and the seventh Sultan of Selangor.

He once told Australia's The Age: "Perhaps I can show that the royal families are not useless leeches. Perhaps this will show we can fight and suffer with the people for decency and a better country."

The father of five was a successful businessman before becoming a political activist.

He became a leading member of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Raja Petra was the director of the "Free Anwar Campaign" and webmaster of its United States-based website, which closed after Mr Anwar was freed from prison in September 2004.

By then, Raja Petra had launched Malaysia Today, a popular news blog that promotes discussion about Malaysia's political and social scenes.

But Raja Petra had a major falling out with Mr Anwar after apparently posting stories about Mr Anwar rejoining the ruling party — the United Malays National Organisation — and vying to be premier with the help of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin. The PKR accused Raja Petra of discrediting Mr Anwar.

Raja Petra — who became Malaysia's first blogger to be charged under the Sedition Act — has refused to post bail set at RM5,000 ($2,150), opting to be imprisoned until his trial begins on Oct 6. He has also refused visits from family members.

If convicted, he faces a three-year jail term or a fine of up to RM5,000.

Mr Din Merican, a friend of Raja Petra and fellow blogger, told Today that a group of "young civic-conscious Malaysians" had been planning to hold a "Free Petra" candlelight vigil last night in front of the Sungai Buloh prison near Kuala Lumpur.