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• 'Detention of journalist an act to intimidate media'
• Vigil for arrested journalist
• Why Raja Petra, Tan and Kok were detained
• Show-cause letters for dailies
• Raja Petra anticipated his arrest, says wife
• ‘Shoot the reporter’ probe completed

PETALING JAYA: The MCA has expressed shock that former Bukit Bendera Umno division chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail, who made racist remarks has not been taken to task but reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, who wrote about the incident, has been arrested instead.

“The perpetrator who vowed to conduct a nationwide roadshow on his remarks without any remorse is still at large,” MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said in a statement yesterday.

He said anybody in his right mind would certainly be stunned by such an arrest targeted at the reporter and not the perpetrator.

MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said he disagreed with the use of the ISA on Tan.

“As a reporter, Tan was only carrying out duties assigned to her. Her story had gone through the due editorial process before it was printed,” he said.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the arrest of Raja Petra Kamaruddin was judicious because he ridiculed Islam in his postings which could spark fury among Muslims.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, meanwhile, urged the Government to bring Raja Petra to trial in court under existing laws.

“This is consistent with Gerakan’s stand that the ISA should be reviewed, if not repealed,” Dr Koh said in a statement.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim condemned Raja Petra’s arrest and called for his immediate release.

“Raja Petra should be given access to proper legal counsel, and his wife and children should not be denied an opportunity to visit him while he is held captive,” he said in a statement.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang called for Raja Petra’s release as there was no justification for his detention. He said Raja Petra should be charged in court if he had infringed the law, and not held in detention without trial.

'Detention of journalist an act to intimidate media'

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has described the detention of Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act as an act to intimidate the media.

General secretary Hong Boon How said: “This sort of action must stop if the Government wants to advocate a freer media in Malaysia.”

He also said yesterday the investigation of the case could have been handled amicably by asking her to report to the police station instead of picking her up at her home.

NUJ general treasurer Martin Vengadesan condemned Tan’s detention as the Umno supreme council had already suspended its Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail for three years based on his statement.

“We feel this detention is a case of shooting the messenger. We hope the authorities will release Tan soon,” he said.

Bernama reported that the union’s president Norila Daud voiced concern over the Home Ministry’s show-cause letters to The Sun, Sin Chew Daily and Suara Keadilan for alleged manipulation and highlighting of sensitive issues.

She described the worrying trend as being tantamount to further restriction to press freedom, thus hindering journalists from reporting the truth without fear.

“The union feels the current political temperature was rising because of irresponsible politicians making comments on sensitive issues without thinking what the implications of their remarks would have on the public,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Norila said the media merely reported the facts and was not a party to any issue.

“If these (news)papers were to be closed down or suspended, the livelihood of hundreds of journalists and non-journalists will also be affected,” she said.

Vigil for arrested journalist

GEORGE TOWN: Politicians, journalists, students and members of non-governmental organisations held a candlelight vigil outside the state police headquarters here to show support for arrested journalist Tan Hoon Cheng.

Small groups gathered outside the police headquarters early yesterday evening but the number swelled quickly as more people got wind of Tan’s arrest at about 9pm.

The crowd then started lighting candles and sang songs to show solidarity for Tan as she was taken into the headquarters in an unmarked car at 11.45pm.

Politicians who turned up were from the DAP, MCA, Gerakan and PAS, including Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

They gave speeches condemning Tan’s detention.

Lim urged the police and the Home Ministry to release Tan as soon as possible.

“This is a threat to press freedom. It is unlikely that she had misreported because Tan, a Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) graduate, is an award-winning journalist with umpteen years of experience,” she said.

He added that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would not have apologised if Ahmad had not made the racist remarks.

He later said he had received assurance from the police that Tan would be treated well.

Many of those gathered said they intended to stay until the wee hours of the morning and at press time, the candlelight vigil was still on.

Police in riot gear kept watch outside the police station.

Penang journalists also started a signature campaign outside the police headquarters to get Tan release.

Raja Petra, Teresa Kok and Sin Chew reporter arrested under ISA

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) here and in Penang.

The first person to be picked up was Raja Petra, 58, from his house in Sungai Buloh near here, followed by Tan, 32, who was arrested from her house in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. Teresa, 43, was detained at 11.20pm as she was on her way home in a car.

All of them were arrested under Section 73(1) of the ISA for allegedly being a threat to security, peace and public order.

A team of police officers from Bukit Aman arrived at Raja Petra’s house at 1.10pm and led him away 40 minutes later.

The team also took some 15 VCDs on ceramah held by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as well as 16 books.

Last week, the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and several Muslim bodies lodged a police report against Raja Petra, who is already facing criminal defamation charges for allegedly insulting the Malays, Muslims and Islam.

In a statement, Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said Raja Petra was arrested based on surveillance that showed that he was involved in activities that could cause unrest among the multi-racial and multi-religious society of the country.

Tan, who was picked up at 8.40pm, was taken from her house in Taman Seri Rambai in Bukit Mertajam to the state police headquarters on the island.

Tan, 32, reported former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Lee Kelvin from Guang Ming and Tan Ming Xao from Nanyang Siang Pau, who had vouched for the accuracy of Tan’s report had gone into hiding.

Kok, 43, who is also state assemblyman for Kinrara and the senior Selangor state executive councillor, was picked up over an alleged involvement with a resident’s petition over a mosque.

Acting Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar confirmed the arrests of Tan and Kok.

Under the Section, police are empowered to detain the trio for a period of 60 days after which the Home Minister can decide on further detention.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar admitted that the decision to detain people and issue show cause letters would be unpopular and would be criticised but it had to be done.

“While we may want to be popular, freedom without responsibilities has ramifications.

“We have to take action to protect the wishes of the majority,” he said.

Syed Hamid also said Raja Petra had been warned on many occasions in the last two years.

“Now, with so much public uneasiness, we do not want anything that can threaten peace in the country.

“The police looked at all aspects and, under present circumstances, the actions were necessary,” he added.

Why Raja Petra, Tan and Kok were detained

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Today news portal editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was arrested under the Internal Security Act for allegedly being a threat to security, peace and public order.

Raja Petra, 58, who was arrested under Section 73(1) of the ISA, is alleged to have posted articles deemed seditious and that also belittle Islam.

Last week, the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and several Muslim organisations lodged a police report against him for allegedly insulting Malays, Muslims and Islam.

On Sept 6, under The Corridors of Power article posted on Malaysia Today, Raja Petra had hinted that it might be his last article until Sept 16, if he were to be detained under the ISA. He is banking on Anwar’s Sept 16 promise for an early release from ISA.

“Yes, I too have placed not only my money, but also my freedom on Anwar. And if Anwar fails to deliver his promise on Sept 16, not only he but I as well am headed for a fall,” he said in his posting.

Raja Petra, founder of the controversial news portal, was charged in the Sessions Court on Aug 15 on three counts of criminal defamation over his statutory declaration on the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng is believed to have been arrested over her report on former Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks while campaigning for the Permatang Pauh by-election last month.

Tan, 32, is an award-winning journalist with nine years of experience. She is a Mass Communication graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok is also assemblyman for Kinrara and a senior executive councillor in charge of investment, industry and trade.

Kok, 43, is believed to have been picked up in connection with a residents petition in Puchong over a mosque.

Former mentri besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo had allegedly accused Kok of being involved.

She subsequently denied the allegation and demanded an apology from Dr Mohd Khir and the newspaper which reported it.

Raja Petra anticipated his arrest, says wife

SUNGAI BULOH: Raja Petra Kamarudin was not “too surprised” when police told him that we was to be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) , according to his wife Marina Lee Abdullah.

She said her husband had been talking about the ISA for some time of late and knew his time was “coming up”.

“It came as a shock to me, but at the back of our minds we knew they (the Government) were going to use the ISA on him,” Marina said at her home in Bukit Rahman Putra here.

She said 10 policemen, led by Asst Supt Mohd Yusof Chem, arrived at their house at 1.10pm. At that time, Raja Petra, Marina and their two daughters were in.

“They asked for Raja Petra’s MyKad before entering the house to conduct an inspection. They looked in all the rooms and the car before seizing some 15 VCDs on ceramah held by Oppo­sition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and 16 books mostly on local political figures,” she said.

Marina said it was only after the policemen completed searching the home that they told Raja Petra that he was being detained under Section 73 (1) of the ISA and would be taken to an undisclosed place.

She said ASP Mohd Yusof read Raja Petra the grounds for his arrest, which was publishing allegedly hatred-inciting articles on his blog.

“Raja Petra was in good spirits as he was taken away by the policeman at around 1.50pm,” she said, adding that he was not handcuffed.

“I will be strong for my husband and children and we will fight this all the way,” she vowed.

She said she would discuss her husband’s arrest with their lawyer before deciding on the next course of action.

Raja Petra’s arrest comes a day after the Cabinet ordered the Multimedia and Commu­nications Commission to re­instate access to all blocked websites, including his controversial Malaysia Today website.

His first arrest under ISA was on April 10, 2001, when he was detained as part of a crackdown against Reformasi activists in which nine others were also held. Raja Petra was released after 53 days in detention.

‘Shoot the reporter’ probe completed

GEORGE TOWN: Police investigations into alleged criminal intimidation by :state Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim, who allegedly said a reporter should be shot during a press conference, have been completed.

OCPD Asst Comm Azam Abd Hamid said statements had been taken from the Umno leader and reporters who attended the press conference: last week.

“We have classified the case as criminal intimidation,” he said.

Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik made a report against Azhar at the Patani Road police station on Tuesday, alleging that Azhar had said that :if there was any racial tension, a certain reporter should be the first to be shot.

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