SYED AKBAR ALI CHARGED WITH SEDITION TOO

Syed Akbar at the launch of his book by Mahathir

Sedition charges are proving to be the flavour for the month of May in Malaysia.

On Tuesday 6^th May 2008, businessman Syed Akbar Ali was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 at a sessions court (in Kuala Lumpur?) for posting a comment on Raja Petra's site on June 5, 2007. Raja Petra’s article was entitled "Malaysia’s Organised Crime Syndicate: All Roads Lead to Putrajaya".

His comments included remarks about the Kaabah, Arabs and Malays.

Syed Akbar an ex-banker, who is 48 years of age, subsequently posted the RM3,000 bail which had been set by the court.

Hearing for the submissions as to whether, or not, the charge was groundless was set for 10^th June 2008.

Dum spiramus tuebimur

- While we breathe, we shall defend

Raja Petra Video Interview at the court 06 May 2008

Source: YouTube / malaysiakini.com



Vox populi, vox Dei



- The voice of the people is the voice of God

RPK off to prison, after refusing to pay bail of RM5,000

RPK off to jail in handcuffs (click on picture for larger size image)

Judicial Process, Malaysian style

Raja Petra Kamaruddin, has claimed trial at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court to a charge of publishing a seditious article on 25th April 2008, on news portal http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/

He was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the loosely drafted, catch-all, oppressive, and archaic Sedition Act 1948, which is left over from an earlier time when Malaysia was recovering from the Second World War Japanese occupation, and was under British rule.

The court evidently decided that nine paragraphs in his article titled "Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell" were possibly seditious.

The court set bail at RM5,000, however Raja Petra steadfastly refused to pay it.

His wife Marina Lee Abdullah later stated that Raja Petra was hoping to raise the money for his bail, through RM 1.00 public donations paid via a specially set up bank account, which is listed on his news portal, or on-line, meanwhile it is understood that he has been detained at the Sungai Buloh prison.

Earlier, Raja Petra had arrived at 9:06, at the compound of the magistrates’ court which is situated within the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta , as he had been instructed to do by the police, in order to attend the court proceedings at 09:30

He was later, before any court proceeding began, instructed by the police, via a telephone call to go to the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court to be charged.

This is another good example of Malaysian, ‘kangaroo style court hopping’, drama and intrigue.

A crowd of several hundred people were by that time already gathered at the Jalan Duta court complex, they then all immediately moved off to Petaling Jaya.

Among the supporters of Raja Petra were many bloggers and MPs including Salahuddin Ayub (Kubang Kerian), Kamarul Baharin Abbas (Teluk Kemang) and Nurul Izzah Anwar (Lembah Pantai), there were, however, no MPs from the National Front (BN) component political parties reported to have been present.

Perhaps this is an indication that this is not so much of a legal process of prosecution, but rather a contrived vindictive process of politically motivated persecution.

The ‘trial’ date was set, the ‘trial’ will be performed from 6^th -10^th October 2008.

Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo

- The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often

WHAT IS ISLAM?

See what Raja Petra Kamarudin wrote under that headline:
HERE

The hearing, or whatever it is, has been transferred at the last minute to the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court.


What on earth is going on, this a real life example of a Malaysian 'kangaroo court' in action, jumping from one venue to another!


Obviously this bloody mindedness, is just to maximise the inconvenience for all concerned, and must be especially targeted at the 500 or so supporters who went to the Magistrate Court, at Court Complex at Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur to show their solidarity with RPK.

For updates on today's unfolding sandiwara (Malay drama), please click HERE

Veritas vos liberabit


- The truth will set you free

The Persecution of Raja Petra.

RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN

For more background information, latest news updates and the RM 1.00 fund raising effort, please go
HERE, HERE & HERE.

LET's ALL SUPPORT RPK's STRUGGLE AGAINST INJUSTICE, TYRANNY, COVER-UPS, LIES, DECEIT, ABUSE OF POWER, CORRUPTION, RACISM, USE SCAPEGOATS, the list goes on and on.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
WE SHALL OVERCOME!
WE ARE NOT AFRAID!

MAHALIA JACKSON Live, in the late 1960's
We Shall Overcome



Res firma mitescere nescit


- A firm resolve does not know how to weaken

Raja Petra Kamarudin to be Charged with Sedition?

RPK

CHECK THE LATEST NEWS FROM MALAYSIA TODAY HERE

From Rockybru:

"Monday, May 05, 2008

Sedition charge against RPK and Syed?

Malaysian blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin has been told to appear in the Magistrate Court at Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur at 09:30 tomorrow (Today, Tuesday 6^th May 2008), where he is expected to be charged with SEDITION.

Author Syed Akbar Ali, an active commenter on blogs, has also been told to appear at the same court, at 10AM. On sedition charge, too?"

From Zorro:

"Monday, May 5, 2008

BATTLE LINES DRAWN....TAKE YOUR SIDE.

"Raja Petra Kamarudin will be charged under the Sedition Act. He has to report to the KL Jalan Duta Court Complex tomorrow at 9.30am."

(Today, 6th May 2008 at 9:30)

What is sedition? Here is some information.

SEDITION

Sedition [noun] public speech, writing or action encouraging public disorder, especially rebellion against the government.

ETYMOLOGY: from Latin seditio a going apart, from sed away + ire to go.

Some more Information about sedition:

(Source Wikipedia)

Sedition is a term of law which refers to covert conduct, such as speech and organisation, that is deemed by the legal authority as tending toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent (or resistance) to lawful authority.

Sedition may include any commotion, though not aimed at direct and open violence against the laws. Seditious words in writing are seditious libel.

Because sedition is typically considered a subversive act, the overt acts that may be prosecutable under sedition laws vary from one legal code to another.

Where those legal codes have a traceable history, there is also a record of the change of definition for what constituted sedition at certain points in history.

This overview has served to develop a sociological definition of sedition as well, within study of persecution.

The difference between sedition and treason consists primarily in the subjective ultimate object of the violation to the public peace.

Sedition does not consist of levying war against a government nor of adhering to its enemies, giving enemies aid, and giving enemies comfort.

Nor does it consist, in most representative democracies, of peaceful protest against a government, nor of attempting to change the government by democratic means (such as direct democracy or constitutional convention).

Put simply, sedition is the stirring up of rebellion against the government in power.

Treason is the violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or state and has to do with giving aid to enemies or levying war.

Sedition is more about encouraging the people to rebel, when treason is actually betraying the country.

REPRESSIVE MALAYSIAN LAWS (sourced from Human Rights Watch web site)

The Sedition Act

The Sedition Act, originally enacted by British colonial authorities, limits free expression by broadly criminalizing any speech that is judged to have a "seditious tendency," including speech which tends to "bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against" the government, promote "feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races," or question constitutional preferences in business, education, and government employment opportunities given to Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The speaker's intent and the statements' veracity are irrelevant. A violation of the act is punishable by up to three years in prison, a 5,000 Malaysian Ringgit fine, or both.

The act's vague language invites selective application against political opponents for any kind of criticism. Indeed, it was used in January 2000, shortly after the national elections, against opposition figures who criticised the government.

Such expression is a basic right guaranteed by internationally recognised human rights standards.

In addition, although numerous police reports alleging acts of sedition were filed against ruling party officials and allies during the same period, only opposition figures were arrested.

Once again it seems that the law is being used for politically motivated proceedings this time against a blogger and social activist, as it has been used against lawyers, journalists, and opposition leaders in the past.

Those who peacefully express critical views should not be subject to charges of sedition.

Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and Writers Alliance for Media Independence 2nd May 2008 (WAMI) questions Sedition Acts used against bloggers again.

Malaysia plans repressive and regressive travel curbs on women

The proposer, Rais Yatim

This nonsense, has been reported both in the Malaysian media and also overseas, e.g. the BBC

Is Rais Yatim out to make Malaysia the laughing stock of the world, or are there more sinister motives?

Women's groups in Malaysia have, very rightly, reacted angrily to proposed moronic government restrictions on women travelling overseas alone.

The state controlled main stream media have reported that a proposed plan would compel women to obtain written consent from their families, or employers, before they are allowed to travel overseas alone.

Malaysia’s recently appointed foreign minister Rais Yatim, said the move would prevent single women being used by gangs to smuggle drugs.

[The proposal supposedly follows a review of criminal cases where women had been jailed abroad. Rais Yatim said 90% of cases where Malaysian women had been jailed by foreign courts involved drugs.]

He told the New Sunday Times newspaper that a compulsory letter of consent to travel alone would enable women's families to make sure they were not being tricked by drug smuggling gangs.

"Many of these women (who travel alone) leave the country on the pretext of work or attending courses and seminars," he said.

"With this declaration, we will know for sure where and for what she is travelling overseas," he said.

This is complete and utter bullshit.

Women's groups have expressed outrage at the plan, for example:

Sisters in Islam, said the proposal was totally ridiculous and regressive, and assumed that women were less capable than men of making their own decisions, whilst the National Council for Women's Organisations said it would infringe women's rights.

Campaigners have also correctly pointed out that letters of permission to travel would be very easy to forge. In Malaysia many documents are forged, this even includes important ones, such as Malaysian Passports, and compulsory Malaysian National Identity Cards.

In recent years the influence of hard-line, and sometimes extremist Islamic factions has been increasing in Malaysia, but it is unclear whether this proposal has any hidden religious motive, but it may well have Islamic undertones, and could very well be the thin of the wedge, heralding the start of the formal repression of women in Malaysia,

I fully agree that this seemingly knee-jerk, off-the-cuff proposal, by a man who is not known to be progressive, broad-minded or in touch with reality, is totally repressive, negative, infringes human rights and personal freedoms, and is totally impractical as well.

The Malaysia public in general and women in particular should strongly protest against this discriminatory, restrictive, repressive and regressive idea.

The problem Rais mentioned can easily be solved by proper education and better family interaction, the government cannot, and should not try to, solve it.

Deus ex machina

- A contrived or artificial solution.
(literally, 'a god from a machine')

The Royal Malay Regiment on Public Duties in London

A anonymous reader (probably from The City of London) of my post about the Royal Malay Regiment's Public Duties in London (see it HERE) left the comment reproduced below, it saves me doing a planned blog entry as a follow-up to the earlier one.

I do not think that the "Note to the blog owner" [in which he / she pompously, from afar, tried to judge my character], was from a newspaper article however!

I have no comment on this 'note'.

However, regarding the 'newspaper article' have no doubt that the RMR soldiers who were chosen to go to London to carry out the duties mentioned were the best that the regiments has to offer, and their performance is something to be somewhat proud about.

However the excessive spending, and blatant waste of public funds are certainly not commensurate with the benefits, except perhaps for the ego of the Malaysian Defence Minister?

"Quoted from a newspaper article:

(Note to blog owner: You sound so cynical and jaded.)

Welsh Guards Drill Sergeant, Warrant Officer Second Class Dorian Thomas, was one of the three British trainers who spent three weeks training the RMR in Malaysia, preparing them for their ceremonial duties in the UK. He said:

"I've now trained many incremental Companies that have come across here, and their standard of drill to begin with was immaculate. All we really had to teach was the procedures, or the different procedures we use on our Guard Bands."

Following today's ceremony, WO2 Thomas said that the Malaysians had been outstanding; the best visiting company he had ever seen.

Another of the trainers was Warrant Officer Class 1 W D G Mott OBE, who is the Garrison Sergeant Major at London District and oversees all the Royal ceremonial parades taking place in London and the Home Counties:

"I think it's lovely to have the Malay Regiment on guard now," he said. "They're on Queen's Guard. They've mounted. They're very professional. They've got a lovely attitude towards it.

“From the inception of this with the Chief of General Staff with the Chief of Army over in Malay, General Ismael, everything has been 'cooking on gas'. They've been positive all the way through – very professional as I say – and it's lovely to have them on board."

A soldier of the Royal Malay Regiment and a soldier of the Welsh Guards are given orders for their duties on guard at Buckingham Palace
[Picture: Sergeant Mick Howard RLC]
"The Malay Regiment are very professional men and they've come on board with an absolutely outstanding attitude. And that three weeks – you'd think they've been training for about six months."

He said that Malaysians everywhere should take pride in the professionalism of their soldiers.

04 May, 2008 05:41"

See NST Malaysia report of Sunday 4th May 2008, HERE

Memorabilia

- Memorable things

Lesson from the Amarillo Theatre

The auditorium and the cowboy

A cowboy lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh Amarillo Theatre, Houston, Texas. 

When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the cowboy, 

"Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat."

The cowboy groaned, but didn't budge. 

The usher became more impatient.

"Sir, if you don't get up from there, I'm going to have to call the manager."

Once again, the cowboy just groaned. 

The usher marched briskly back up the aisle and in a moment, he returned with the manager. 

Together, the two of them tried repeatedly to move the cowboy, but with no success.

Finally, they summoned the police. 

The Texas Ranger surveyed the situation briefly and then asked, "All right buddy, what's your name?"

"Fred," the cowboy moaned.

"Where ya from, Fred?" asked the Ranger.

With terrible pain in his voice and without moving a muscle, Fred replied,
"the balcony."


Moral of the tale, engage brain before opening mouth.

Access the situation carefully, do not make assumptions.

Age quod agis

  - Do what you do well, pay attention to
what you are doing 

MALAYSIA’S PRESS IS NOT FREE

Image Source: Kirk Anderson,
http://kirktoons.com/busheviks/busheviks.html

We all knew that, but this confirms it!

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS RANKINGS 2008

In the Global Rating MALAYSIA IS not far from the bottom, and a hell of a long way from the top!

Malaysia’s ranking is a very very low, joint # 141 out of 195; however the BN federal government can boast that Malaysia is better than Singapore, who came out at joint # 153!!

as follows:

Country Score Press Status

Cameroon	65	Not Free
Liberia	65	Not Free
Malaysia	65	Not Free

In the Asia-Pacific region Malaysia is a shameful 28th out of 40

To see the full list of countries, by regional grouping and globally go HERE

Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes

- Our thoughts are free

Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin v. Cops, and others - UPDATES

`

Raja Petra Kamarudin

images by mob1900 SOURCE

Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin was questioned this morning by the Federal Commercial Crime Cyber Crime Unit with regard to an article he posted in his blog that referred to the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder.

A seven-men team of cops led by Deputy Superintendent Victor Sanjos spent two hours at Raja Petra’s home in Kuala Lumpur, from 09:00 to 11:00 hours

When contacted, Raja Petra, 58, said he was being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 for an article titled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell” that was posted on his blog website www.malaysia-today.net on 25^th April 2008.

“Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell”

“The police officers questioned me and later took my laptop and my personal computer,” he reportedly said after the morning raid.

He also was ordered to report to go to the Bukit Aman Federal Police Headquarters at 16:00 hours, so he did so.

He refused to make that statement, of course. The cops gave up (for now, at least) at 18:00 hours.

RPK was accompanied by his lawyer, William Leong, the Member of Parliament for Selayang, near Kuala Lumpur.

It is understood that police are investigating Raja Petra under the Communications and Multimedia Act.

This is the fourth time that Raja Petra Kamarudin is being investigated by police under the same Act. The first was in March 2001 followed by November 2004 and then July last year.

Under Section 233 of the specified Act, anyone found guilty of an offence, could be fined up to a maximum of RM50,000, a jail sentence of maximum period of one year, or both.

Emitte lucem et veritatem

- Send out light and truth

Raja Petra Kamarudin's SEVEN surprise vistors

Police at RPK's House

Something Stinks in the State of Malaysia.

UPDATE 2
LATEST!!! 3.25pm from Rocky
"Meet you at 4pm today, like NOW!"

Bukit Aman is seemingly in a big hurry.

Marina RPK says the cops have told her husband to come to Bukit Aman at 4pm TODAY, and not at 11am tomorrow, as previously mentioned.

Earlier this morning, the day following a very successful B. U. M. 2008 gathering which he attended with his charming wife, and spoke so eloquently, I receive news that Raja Petra Kamarudin has had seven policemen visit his home, and that they had entered the premises, and as far as is known, are still there.

Why they are there, and what their intentions are is not known, but surely it can not be a social call.

What is happening may be slow to emerge, but will update as and when possible.

Thus far there has been no news about this reported incident from any other sources.

UPDATE: CUT and PASTED from malaysia-today.net at 13:28

"Raja Petra Kamarudin being investigated under the Sedition Act

Posted by Super Admin
Friday, 02 May 2008

Raja Petra ordered to report to Bukit Aman at 11.00am tomorrow.
At 9.00am today, seven police officers from the Cyber Crime Division, Bukit Aman, went to Raja Petra’s house to confiscate his PC and notebook computer. They left at 11.00am after issuing Raja Petra a notice to report to Bukit Aman at 11.00am tomorrow, Saturday, 3 May 2008.
According to the police, Raja Petra is being investigated under the Sedition Act with regards to an article he wrote,
Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell.
It seems a police report has been made against Raja Petra by another police officer.
The Bukit Aman Cyber Crime Division is at Kompleks Perdana, the old office of the Prime Minister behind Bank Negara, however it is now understood that RKP has been told to report to Bukit Aman Headquaters.
We have no further news but Raja Petra will try to update the latest developments once he can get his hand on a new computer."

For more info. please go HERE & HERE

Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito


-You should not give in to evils, but proceed ever more boldly against them

My Ten Thousandth Visitor

Decies millesimus

X

DATE /TIME:

2nd May 2008 04:02:58 (Time Zone GMT + 8)

LOCATION:

Continent : North America

Country : United States of America

State : Missouri

City : Saint Louis

Latitude, Longitude : 38.6385 N, 90.3026 W

Distance : 9,470 miles

Sincere thanks to each and every one of the 10,000 previous visitors to my humble blog, and welcome aboard to all subsequent visitors.


Concordia res parvae crescent

- Work together to accomplish more

DAP Malacca state assemblymen arrested for mischief during an unlawful assembly

See Star online HERE

Three DAP Malacca state assemblymen were arrested at about 10:30 on Thursday 1^st May 2006 but later released on police bail.

Thw Bachang assemblyman Lim Jak Wong had gone to Taman Kesidang, Kampung Lapan, with Malacca state DAP party chairman Goh Leong San and Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him to remove several potentially dangerous protruding metal rods at the base of an long uncompleted telecommunication pole.

Lim, who is also Malacca state DAP secretary, had apparently used an electric saw to cut off ten of the 10cm metal rods which were protruding from the foundation of the seemingly abandoned pole foundation after he had been unable to break them off with a hammer.

Instead of being applauded for his civic mindedness and safety conciousness, he was subsequently arrested and taken to the Malacca Central police station for questioning together with Goh and Sim who were also arrested later at about noon.

The three were released on police bail at about 17:30, with Lim being taken to the Malacca General Hospital for a medical examination, as it was allegated that he had been assaulted by the police while in their custody at the police station lock-up. Goh said he had lodged a report over the alleged assault of Lim by the police.

It is understood that all three are being investigated under Section 440 of the Penal Code for mischief during an unlawful assembly that carries up to five years' jail and a fine.

Malacca Central OCPD ACP Johari Yahya declined to make any comment on the case.

Once again this appears to be another shameless example of police thuggery and politically motivated policing.

In quaestione versare

- To be under investigation

The UMNO CIRCUS

News about the new session of the Malaysian Parliament 30th April 2008:

'Newly-appointed Dewan Rakyat Speaker (perhaps his designation could be changed to 'Ringmaster'?) Pandikar Amin Mulia had his hands full on the first day of sitting of the new parliament, entertaining the antics of the MPs – both opposition and government.'

'Information Minister Shabery Cheek is thinking of scrapping the trial 30 minute live telecast of the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysian Parliament) after the circus-like atmosphere in the first sitting of Parliament.'

The circus like atmosphere is fitting since:

U M N O = CIRCUS

To find out how, please watch the video clip below




Vincit omnia veritas

- Truth conquers all

4X4 ENTHUSIASTS THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!

RAINFOREST CHALLENGE 2008

CHARITY RAFFLE FOR

A PAIR OF TOURING TICKETS

(VALUED at UD$ 1,000)

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS

RAINFOREST CHALLENGE 2008

To be held in Terengganu Malaysia

Go HERE for full details

HAVE A GO, IT'S ONLY

£ 5 per entry

or US$ 10 or Euro 6.40 or RM 31

Another important event today 1st May 2008

Reminder

BLOGGERS UNIVERSE MALAYSIA 2008

Vivat, crescat, floreat!



- May it live, grow, and flourish!

'Malaysians in Motion' - Around the World in 28 Months

Quote from Mark Twain, click on image for clearer view

MALAYSIANS IN MOTION EXPEDITION

An old friend, former colleague, and fellow mariner Captain Ghani Ishak, his wife Alison and their young son Adrian are undertaking a 28 month round-the-world five-stage expedition, the first leg of which is scheduled to be flagged off from London today, 1^st May 2008, by H E the High Commissioner of Malaysia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

UPDATED:
The flagging-off in London on 1st May 2008, will be by the Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia, at 11:00 hours (UK time, Malaysia time - 7 hours). TV3 will be there, but will be for magazine footage and documentary, not the TV news.

Gloria filiorum patres
- The glory of sons is their fathers

For full details about the expedition, please see the Malaysians in Motion web site HERE

Also keep a look out for media coverage in Malaysia (TV3 and others) and elsewhere around the world.

See earlier news coverage HERE, HERE & HERE,

After the Quote from Mark Twain (see above) the first web page starts off with:

“Malaysians In Motion Expedition is a round the world overland expedition with a difference.

What makes us unique and separates us from other round the world trips are the team members, a family unit with limited experience and our 3 year old son.

The success of the expedition will no doubt inspire others with similar limited or without experience in outdoor adventures to take that step into the unknown.

The expedition will develop a true perspective of the ability of ordinary families to do what have been thought to be the domain of the exceptional few.”

Many folks, including me, will be keeping track of their progress around Europe on the first leg, then through Africa, thence to the Americas, Australia and on the fifth and final leg from Singapore (keep an eye open for them when they pass through Malaysia in May 2010) en route back to the United Kingdom, where they began, they are planning to arrive back in London in September 2010.

The do Malaysia proud, and will be excellent ambassadors-at-large.

So here’s wishing the adventurers 'bon voyage', may the wind be always at their back, and may the journey be enjoyable, safe and educational.

A posse ad esse


- From possibility to actuality