RPK ready to return if freedom guaranteed

Prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin says he is willing to end his self-exile and return to Malaysia if his freedom in the country is guaranteed.

In an email interview with Malaysiakini yesterday, he said while there was no arrest warrant against him, he feared that he may be detained again under the Internal Security Act (ISA) should he return home.

Raja Petra was detained twice under ISA in 2001 and 2008. In 2009, he went into self-exile on grounds that he would not receive a fair trial in Malaysia after authorities charged him with sedition and committing criminal defamation against Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Later, the courts were forced to discharge him not amounting to an acquittal, which means the same charges can be pressed against him again should he come home.

On his much-criticised interview with the mainstream media recently, Raja Petra denied that he had damaged the opposition.

"I can't damage the opposition. I am not that powerful. If I can damage the opposition then I will be more powerful than the prime minister. Even he has failed to damage the opposition.

"The only way the opposition can be damaged would be if they damaged themselves," he said, declining to reveal who arranged for the controversial interview, which was conducted in Singapore.

Raja Petra, who is now believed to be in Chiang Mai, Thailand, also rubbished the assertion that Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), the civil movement initiated by him, has been deserted by many of its supporters, including its founding president Haris Ibrahim, after his hard-hitting interview was published.

"Have there been any desertions?" he asked.

However, the blogger denied defecting to the other side, and instead stressed that he has been loyal to the cause to oust Umno throughout the nine general elections from 1974 to 2008.

The following is a full transcript of the email interview:

Malaysiakini: You said you were unable to talk to the alternative media. Has anyone of them rejected your offer?

I don't make offers or else you will say I am chasing publicity.

How did the series of interviews in Singapore come about? Did you request for the interview? Who organised it?

There were no series. Only one interview.

Do you think your mainstream media interview has damaged the opposition?

I can't damage the opposition. I am not that powerful. If I can damage the opposition, then I will be more powerful than the prime minister. Even he has failed to damage the opposition. The only way the opposition can be damaged would be if they damaged themselves.

Were you paid for the interview in Singapore?

Am I being paid for this interview?

Why did you ‘sell out'?

Define ‘sell out'.

Critics say that your egoistic nature and the self-imposed exile have clouded your judgement. Do you agree?

Would any sane man admit to that? I am a sane man.

Some observers claim you change camps too often? What do you have to say to this allegation?

I was ABU (Anything But Umno) in 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008, a total of nine general elections. In 1969, I was not old enough to vote but my father voted Gerakan (he died two years later). In the March 2013 GE, I will still be ABU.

When Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) campaigned ABU in 2006, I supported him. I have always been ABU even when Anwar sold out and joined Umno. Which ‘camps' are they referring to?

You criticised Anwar but he stayed put and is prepared to go to prison. You, however, left the country. Why don't you come back and face the music?

If you can arrange for me to come back without being sent to Kamunting, I will do so. Let me know once you have arranged it.

What is the status of the arrest warrants against you?

Which arrest warrants? There are no arrest warrants which I am aware of. Are there any that you know about?

Did the police try to contact you?

Regarding what?

Do you miss Malaysia?

No. Do you?

Is it true that your wife is very sick?

No. Is your wife very sick?

What have you to say about the recent desertions in MCLM?

Have there been any desertions?

Will the opposition be stronger without Anwar or will it be in shambles?

I thought it is already in shambles.

You have made several exposes in the past, will you continue to do so?

I never stopped. Have you not read my Wikileaks reports? Malaysiakini stole some of them and ran stories about them without crediting Malaysia Today.

I am still doing exposes. I'm now working on exposes about corruption in Selangor and will be publishing them today.