Kuala Lumpur - The Malaysian government on Friday detained a well-known blogger under a draconian security law which allows for indefinite detention without trial. Raja Petra Kamaruddin was picked up by police under the Internal Security Act (ISA) at his home in the central Selangor state, his wife Marina Lee Abdullah told reporters.
Raja Petra, who runs the popular Malaysia Today website, has many times in the past come under fire from the government for his articles pointing out alleged wrongdoings by the government.
Marina said a team of 10 police officers entered their home on Friday and detained her husband after seizing some tapes and a computer.
"But I don't know where they are taking him," she told the Star newspaper.
Raja Petra, whose website and articles have a large following, was charged with sedition in May for allegedly implying that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was involved in the gruesome murder of a Mongolian woman.
He has in the past been accused by the government of spreading lies and false rumours in his often sensational articles.
The popular blogger's arrest comes a day after the government announced it would re-instate access to all blocked websites, after they courted harsh criticisms for blocking access to Malaysia Today last month.
On Friday, the Home Ministry also sent out show-cause letters to three local newspapers for publishing stories that created "tension among the people."
Officials declined to give further details on the nature of the alleged articles, except that they contained elements of race and religion.
"Any media which has breached the conditions and guidelines, will be told to show cause and the reply must be made within a week. They should not consider the show-cause letter as our attempt to impose a restriction," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said late Thursday.
"We owe the responsibility to society in general to ensure conflicts do not occur and anger is not prompted as a result of what we write about race, religion or even culture," he said.
Lim Kit Siang, leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party, slammed Raja Petra's arrest and the tightening on local media as "most deplorable."
"This appears to be the begining of the crackdown on media and free speech, which is not in the national interest," Lim told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
"I think all Malaysians should be very disturbed by these turn of events."
Lim, who was also once detained under the ISA, said the opposition have extended their full support to Raja Petra's family and would seek to have him released.
The ISA, which was drafted more than 50 years ago under British colonial rule to fight a communist insurgency, allows for citizens to be detained without trial if they are believed to be a threat to security.
Critics have called for the law to be abolished, claiming the government is using it to shut-out dissenting views in the name of preserving national security.
Earth Times
12/09/08
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