Raja Petra skips sedition trial again
Published: May 22, 2009 5:16 AM | Updated: May 22, 2009 5:20 AM
Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is on a "self-imposed exile" from Selangor, once again failed to turn up at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court today.
Blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is on a "self-imposed exile" from Selangor, once again failed to turn up at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court today.
This is the second time he had failed to attend the court for his sedition trial, despite an arrest warrant being issued against him for missing the last hearing on April 23.
This morning, the popular blogger was once again missing from the trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Rizal Abdul Manan told judge Aslam Zainuddin that the arrest warrant issued on April 23 could not be served on the blogger as he could not be located.
He added that the police also failed to serve a similar notice on Raja Petra's wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, who had bailed him as she also could not be located.
Raja Petra's lawyer J Chandra then applied that the matter be adjourned indefinitely until the police has succeeded in serving the warrant and arresting his client.
However, judge Aslam said he preferred to have the trial judge Rozina Ayob, who was on leave today, to make that decision.
Aslam then fixed July 17 for the matter to be mention before Rozina.
The reason for Raja Petra's absence has not been officially informed to the court. However he made an entry in his blog after the April 23 hearing stating that he was on a self-imposed exile from Selangor.
"This dispute was due to my open letter to the (ousted) Perak menteri besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, which I wrote on March 2 in response to the ongoing Perak constitutional crisis.
"My family (his royal cousins) said I had acted in a treasonous manner and they wanted me to issue a public apology to the Sultan of Perak," he had said, adding that he refused to apologise and thus his decision to go on exile.
Not keen on being arrested again
However a more plausible reason was due to his fear of being detained under the Internal Security Act.
"After two ISA detentions, I do not plan to allow them to get me so easily the third time around.
"I also refuse to face treason charges that will result in me being sent to the gallows. I love my life and wish to remain alive a few years longer if possible," he had said in the same blog entry.
Raja Petra is facing trial for the alleged seditious article entitled 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' which was posted on the Malaysia Today website.
The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or three years' jail, or both, upon conviction.
He is also facing a criminal defamation charge at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for defaming the Prime Minister's wife Rosmah Mansor and her former aide Norhayati Hassan and Acting Colonel Aziz Buyong for implicating their involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder.
That trial is expected to resume on May 26 to 28.
He is also facing civil suits from Norhayati and Aziz respectively for the same matter at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
This is the second time he had failed to attend the court for his sedition trial, despite an arrest warrant being issued against him for missing the last hearing on April 23.
This morning, the popular blogger was once again missing from the trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Rizal Abdul Manan told judge Aslam Zainuddin that the arrest warrant issued on April 23 could not be served on the blogger as he could not be located.
He added that the police also failed to serve a similar notice on Raja Petra's wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, who had bailed him as she also could not be located.
Raja Petra's lawyer J Chandra then applied that the matter be adjourned indefinitely until the police has succeeded in serving the warrant and arresting his client.However, judge Aslam said he preferred to have the trial judge Rozina Ayob, who was on leave today, to make that decision.
Aslam then fixed July 17 for the matter to be mention before Rozina.
The reason for Raja Petra's absence has not been officially informed to the court. However he made an entry in his blog after the April 23 hearing stating that he was on a self-imposed exile from Selangor.
"This dispute was due to my open letter to the (ousted) Perak menteri besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, which I wrote on March 2 in response to the ongoing Perak constitutional crisis.
"My family (his royal cousins) said I had acted in a treasonous manner and they wanted me to issue a public apology to the Sultan of Perak," he had said, adding that he refused to apologise and thus his decision to go on exile.
Not keen on being arrested again
However a more plausible reason was due to his fear of being detained under the Internal Security Act.
"After two ISA detentions, I do not plan to allow them to get me so easily the third time around.
"I also refuse to face treason charges that will result in me being sent to the gallows. I love my life and wish to remain alive a few years longer if possible," he had said in the same blog entry.
Raja Petra is facing trial for the alleged seditious article entitled 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' which was posted on the Malaysia Today website.
The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or three years' jail, or both, upon conviction.
He is also facing a criminal defamation charge at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for defaming the Prime Minister's wife Rosmah Mansor and her former aide Norhayati Hassan and Acting Colonel Aziz Buyong for implicating their involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder.
That trial is expected to resume on May 26 to 28.
He is also facing civil suits from Norhayati and Aziz respectively for the same matter at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
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