No connection between PKR and RPK
Arfa'eza A AzizPublished: Jun 30, 2005 7:36 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has no connection with the political website Malaysia Today , said the party's information chief Tian Chua.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has no connection with the political website Malaysia Today, said the party's information chief Tian Chua.
He was responding to a series of special reports published by the website over an alleged conspiracy by certain PAS eaders against PKR adviser and former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
In a statement yesterday, Tian said although the website, which is managed by reformasi activist Raja Petra Kamaruddin, frequently published reports on PKR and Anwar, it does not reflect the party's views.
"Malaysia Today has its own objectives and has no connection with PKR. Any statement issued by the website is not necessarily in line with the views of Anwar or PKR which has its own official website and newsletter," he added.
The website's special reports followed a discussion on the local webblog 'Screenshots' over a posting by PAS parliamentarian Abdul Halim Othman regarding Commercial IBT (CIBT).
Titled 'Get Anwar', the reports published beginning June 20, claimed that the discussions were initiated to falsely link Anwar and CIBT - which has been accused of funding terrorists activities.
Clarification welcomed
Reacting, Raja Petra said he welcomed the PKR leader's statement as it reinforced his earlier stand that Malaysia Today was free from any political influence.
"I explained to many that the website has nothing to do with PKR or any other party. We are not paid by PKR or Anwar. But they don't believe us. Now Tian has made things clear. This is good," he added.
Contacted later, Tian denied that he had issued the statement after receiving complaints from PAS leaders over the reports.
"I made the statement out of my own initiative to state clearly to the public that the reports published by Raja Petra in his website do not in any way represent PKR, that is all," he said.
Asked whether he spoke to Raja Petra before issuing the statement, Tian said he did not and added, "I do not want any discussion to be misunderstood as trying to influence or interfere in Raja Petra's viewpoint".
"I respect him as an individual who is free to do what he wants. But he is responsible for his own views alone and the party is not with him on this," he said.
Commenting on the reports, Tian said it is unfortunate to read such 'personal attacks' against certain politicians in PAS.
"I think leaders in PKR and PAS can readily accept criticisms from each other but those made in the reports were very personal in nature. It had also said a few harsh words against other bloggers, which is why we don't want what has been said to be misunderstood as PKR's views.
"If we disagree with any statements or policies made by PAS leaders, we will issue a statement in our own website. We will not use Malaysia Today to criticise PAS leaders," he added.
According to Tian, even Anwar - who is back in Malaysia for a five-day break from his position as a visiting fellow at the John Hopkins University in Washington - had expressed regrets over the reports.
"It is most unfortunate that Raja Petra had talked about CIBT the way he did because his defence insinuates that Anwar had been really involved which is untrue.
"I spoke to Anwar who regretted what had happened and hoped that it will not be misconstrued by the public," he said.
Taste of own medicine
On the issue of making 'personal attacks', Raja Petra said this should not be news to anyone since he and many opposition leaders have frequently made 'personal statements' against government leaders.
"We have been personal against the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad) Badawi, (deputy premier) Najib, (Abdul Razak), (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) for years. This is not new.
"But I have remained very professional in my reports, I never call them derogatory names like some politicians, webmasters and bloggers. I simply write about their misdeeds," he added.
He said he will remain consistent in his fight against corruption be it among the government or the opposition.
"The opposition parties must learn to take their own medicine. They cannot continue to criticise others but yet refused to be criticised. They must change if they want to make an impact in the coming elections," he added.
He was responding to a series of special reports published by the website over an alleged conspiracy by certain PAS eaders against PKR adviser and former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
In a statement yesterday, Tian said although the website, which is managed by reformasi activist Raja Petra Kamaruddin, frequently published reports on PKR and Anwar, it does not reflect the party's views. "Malaysia Today has its own objectives and has no connection with PKR. Any statement issued by the website is not necessarily in line with the views of Anwar or PKR which has its own official website and newsletter," he added.
The website's special reports followed a discussion on the local webblog 'Screenshots' over a posting by PAS parliamentarian Abdul Halim Othman regarding Commercial IBT (CIBT).
Titled 'Get Anwar', the reports published beginning June 20, claimed that the discussions were initiated to falsely link Anwar and CIBT - which has been accused of funding terrorists activities.
Clarification welcomed
Reacting, Raja Petra said he welcomed the PKR leader's statement as it reinforced his earlier stand that Malaysia Today was free from any political influence.
"I explained to many that the website has nothing to do with PKR or any other party. We are not paid by PKR or Anwar. But they don't believe us. Now Tian has made things clear. This is good," he added.
Contacted later, Tian denied that he had issued the statement after receiving complaints from PAS leaders over the reports.
"I made the statement out of my own initiative to state clearly to the public that the reports published by Raja Petra in his website do not in any way represent PKR, that is all," he said.
Asked whether he spoke to Raja Petra before issuing the statement, Tian said he did not and added, "I do not want any discussion to be misunderstood as trying to influence or interfere in Raja Petra's viewpoint".
"I respect him as an individual who is free to do what he wants. But he is responsible for his own views alone and the party is not with him on this," he said.
Commenting on the reports, Tian said it is unfortunate to read such 'personal attacks' against certain politicians in PAS.
"I think leaders in PKR and PAS can readily accept criticisms from each other but those made in the reports were very personal in nature. It had also said a few harsh words against other bloggers, which is why we don't want what has been said to be misunderstood as PKR's views.
"If we disagree with any statements or policies made by PAS leaders, we will issue a statement in our own website. We will not use Malaysia Today to criticise PAS leaders," he added. According to Tian, even Anwar - who is back in Malaysia for a five-day break from his position as a visiting fellow at the John Hopkins University in Washington - had expressed regrets over the reports.
"It is most unfortunate that Raja Petra had talked about CIBT the way he did because his defence insinuates that Anwar had been really involved which is untrue.
"I spoke to Anwar who regretted what had happened and hoped that it will not be misconstrued by the public," he said.
Taste of own medicine
On the issue of making 'personal attacks', Raja Petra said this should not be news to anyone since he and many opposition leaders have frequently made 'personal statements' against government leaders.
"We have been personal against the prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad) Badawi, (deputy premier) Najib, (Abdul Razak), (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) for years. This is not new. "But I have remained very professional in my reports, I never call them derogatory names like some politicians, webmasters and bloggers. I simply write about their misdeeds," he added.
He said he will remain consistent in his fight against corruption be it among the government or the opposition.
"The opposition parties must learn to take their own medicine. They cannot continue to criticise others but yet refused to be criticised. They must change if they want to make an impact in the coming elections," he added.
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