International news broadcaster CNBC has confirmed cancelling its flagship show World Business as allegations of impropriety surface linking the programme to FBC Media, a British firm apparently paid millions of ringgit by Putrajaya and Sarawak to shine their images globally.

The satellite news channel said it has also started investigating FBC Media’s business practices, in what is seen as a bid to remove itself from being tainted by any possible scandal that could smear it like the phone-hacking allegations that ended the 168-year-old News of The World last month.

“In response to your question below, you are correct in that we have withdrawn World Business in the light of serious questions raised last week and we have initiated an examination of FBC and its business practices,” Charlotte Westgate, CNBC’s vice-president of marketing and communications, told The Malaysian Insider in an email last night.

The news of CNBC’s popular business news programme, under the eye of its managing editor John Defterios, being dumped was first reported yesterday by Sarawak Report.

In the story “CNBC Dumps FBC Media!”, the London-based whistleblower said the decision came on the heels of its earlier expose disclosing how Malaysia’s powerful ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians have been paying FBC Media millions of ringgit a year out of public coffers “to buy them positive publicity on the show”.

The Sarawak Report listed the ruling coalition politicians as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud.

“Allowing slots to be purchased in this way, deceiving millions of viewers who thought they were watching impartial programming, is a serious breach of broadcasting laws, for which broadcasters such as CNBC’s parent company, the American broadcasting giant NBC, would be held ultimately responsible,” Sarawak Report said.

CNBC’s Westgate, however, declined further comment on the case for the time being.

FBC Media is also said to have dealings with British national broadcaster BBC and US-based CNN.

The Malaysian Insider tried to contact both FBC and CNN to clarify Sarawak Report’s potentially damaging allegations, but have received no response at the time this report is published.

Award-winning journalist Defterios, who recently interviewed Najib in London for CNN, had been criticised for lobbing softball questions compared to the hard-nosed probing befitting a 25-year veteran of his standing in financial news global affairs, raising questions over a possible conflict of interest.

A full transcript of the interview as released by CNN on July 14, just days after the controversial July 9 public rally for clean and fair elections organised by Bersih 2.0, showed Defterios failing to press his interviewee for details over the BN government’s response even as videos depicted policemen cracking down on marchers.

Below is an extract of the transcript:

Defterios: We have seen a bursting movement in Malaysia this last week, and some 20,000 protesters under the umbrella of electoral reforms. But what is really behind this? This is a generational gap? I mean, why such a high level of protest?

Najib: Well, John, it is basically politics. Because there is democracy in Malaysia. And we are committed towards electoral reform. And it will come up to see that we are all for fair and clean elections. And as you know, the last general election, you know, the ruling party lost five states. And we were deprived of two-thirds majority.

Defterios: So five of 13 states overall.

Najib: Five of 13 states and not a fair, clean election. We wouldn’t have lost five states. But we are committed to making better.

Defterios: Some would say you had (made) 1,600 arrests of some 20,000 protesters. Are you satisfied with the security response to that particular round of protests, yourself?

Najib: It was quite mild, you know, because although they were taken in, they were released after eight hours and they were treated very well. There was no undue use of force. And, you know, the demonstrators were dispersed using minimum force.

The former CNN anchor and correspondent was listed on the FBC Media’s website as president and board director of FBC Group Limited since 2000, group vice-president for content and media services of FactBased Communications S.R.L besides overseeing its factual programming.

His ties to the British-based media firm have yet to be made clear as the FBC website appears to have been stripped down to a mere one-page fact sheet about the company after the Sarawak Report expose earlier this week.

The full information appears to still be available on the Sarawak Report website.

Putrajaya and the Sarawak administration under Taib Mahmud was yesterday questioned by opposition PKR to come clean on the allegation they had paid FBC Media RM15 million a year from public coffers to produce programmes biased towards the BN coalition at federal and state levels on international media.

The Sarawak Report, in a story published two days ago, claimed insider sources revealed Najib “suggested” to Taib that he hire FBC Media to bolster his seemingly flagging popularity after the Sarawak chief minister appeared to suffer a publicity crisis due to allegations of extensive corruption.

Both have not denied the report since it was published by the whistleblower website. FBC Media’s dealings with the Malaysian government came to light after supplementary supply Bills showed vast payments made for a “Global Strategic Communications Campaign”.

The records showed that between 2008 and 2009, RM57.7 million was paid by the Prime Minister’s office to FBC Media for the campaign.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: CNBC, FBC Media, Najib Razak, Taib Mahmud, World Business

There is a prima facie case in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy charge as the accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is a credible witness, trial judge Datuk Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah has ruled.

The High Court judge, in his decision today, quashed the defence team’s arguments in attacking Saiful’s credibility as the case’s star witness.

They had charged that Saiful had lied in open court, and charged that there were many loopholes in his testimony.

Mohd Zabidin had also decided that there was nothing “inconsistent” with the clinical findings by the doctors from Hospital Kuala Lumput (HKL) as well as government chemists who had taken DNA samples from Saiful and Anwar.

This is despite the defence’s repeated claims of possible contamination and degradation of material evidence by investigating officer ASP Jude Pereira.

“I found PW1 to be a credible witness, his evidence reliable.

“It was not surprising the defence had tried to paint a picture of PW1 as someone who had zero credibility… with greatest respect, I find this irrelevant,” said the judge.

Mohd Zabidin said that even though Saiful did not lodge a police report immediately after the alleged sodomy took place, or did not “resist” the alleged act, it did not mean he (Saiful) had lied under oath.

“It is not tenable to use PW1’s failure to escape as reason to not believe his testimony,” he said, while at the same time pointing out that Saiful had been accorded preferential treatment by Anwar when he was working for the PKR leader.

The judge also said that since there had been no dispute that Anwar had directed Saiful to go to the Desa Damansara condominium, there was undeniable proof that both of them were there during the time of the alleged act.

“There is no dispute that accused had invited PW1(Saiful) to go to the condo… PW1 and accused at the condo proves proximity of time.

“I find it is hard to accept defence’s submission, speculation that Saiful did not go to the fifth floor… based on evidence. I find accused and complainant at crime scene, opportunity for crime to take place,” said Mohd Zabidin when reading out his written judgment today.

He had also quashed the defence’s concerns with regards to the credibility of HKL doctors and government chemists involved in the case.

“All three doctors testified positively, conclude there was penile penetration,” said the trial judge.

Defence lawyer Sankara Nair argued against accepting the DNA samples in the trial as the samples were kept by Pereira for 97 hours before being given to the chemist.

The prosecution team, led by Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, argued that the DNA samples taken from three items in a cell where Anwar spent the night on July 16, 2008 matched with the “Male Y” DNA profile.

Yusof had also said Anwar was the sole detainee in the lockup at the time when the items — a “Good Morning” towel, toothbrush and mineral water bottle — were retrieved.

Chemist Dr Nor Aidora Saedon and Supt Amidon Anan were called earlier in April to identify the items to be marked as exhibits.

Government scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong testified last March that she had found two unknown male DNA profiles from samples retrieved from around Saiful’s anus, one of which she had earlier called “Male Y”.

“Chemist’s evidence shows swabs taken from PW1… these swabs confirmed presence of semen,” said Mohd Zabidin.

He also said that the DNA evidence taken from Anwar’s lockup on July 16, 2008 could be used as evidence as the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader was the last “occupant” in the holding cell before the three items — “Good Morning” towel, mineral water bottle and toothbrush — were retrieved for DNA sampling.

“There is no reason for this court not to accept evidence in this case… I find degradation, even if there is, to be insufficient,” ruled the judge.

The trial will resume from June 6-30 where Anwar will be defending his case.

Anwar, the 63-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

He has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He led the loose pact of PKR, the DAP and PAS to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

Source : The MalaysianInsider

Technorati Tags: anwar, anwar ibrahim, enter defence, high court, saiful, saiful bukhari, sodomy case

The “Male Y” DNA profile found in samples from Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s anus belongs to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the High Court here heard today.

Lead prosecutor Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden said the DNA samples taken from three items in a cell where Anwar spent the night in on July 16, 2008 matched with the “Male Y” DNA profile.

“It confirms the unknown contributor Male Y is Datuk Seri Anwar. This shows there is a prima facie case,” he said in his submissions on whether Anwar should be called to enter his defence in the Sodomy II trial

Yusof also said Anwar was the sole detainee in the lockup at the time when the items — a “good morning” towel, toothbrush and mineral water bottle — were retrieved.

Chemist Dr Nor Aidora Saedon and Supt Amidon Anan were called earlier this month to identify the items to be marked as exhibits.

Government scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong testified last month that she had found two unknown male DNA profiles from samples retrieved from around Saiful’s anus, one of which she had earlier called “Male Y”.

Anwar had refused to provide DNA samples in his first sodomy trial in 1998 for fear they could be manipulated.

Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim also claimed last January that DNA evidence was fabricated in Anwar’s first sodomy trial.

The DNA Identification Act 2008 was passed to compel suspects to provide DNA samples, despite protests from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers.

In fending off the defence’s attacks on Saiful’s credibility as a material witness in the trial, Yusof said today the former Anwar aide was a “sincere, firm, steadfast and credible” witness.

He said that Saiful’s testimony provided a complete chronology of events during the afternoon of June 26, 2008.

Anwar’s lawyers had argued that Saiful’s failure to escape from the scene suggested he was lying about the act being non-consensual or having taken place.

“The failure of Saiful to run away from location of sodomy did not mean offence did not take place.

“His evidence has proven charge against accused.

“Saiful went there for a purpose which was not disputed by defence,” said Yusof in reference to Saiful’s testimony that he went there to pass some documents to Anwar.

He said the signs were apparent that Saiful was a victim of a sexual crime, especially since he was given “preferential treatment” by Anwar.

“It is safe for court to act on evidence alone. The complainant has ‘no axe to grind’ with the accused,” said Yusof.

He also said that based on the testimony given by Saiful, the use of the KY Jelly lubricant during the alleged sodomy was “vividly narrated.”

Yusof stressed the lack of injuries to Saiful’s anus was consistent with of the use of lubricant and because no “undue force” had been applied by Anwar.

The trial will resumes tomorrow morning with Yusof continuing his submissions.

Anwar, the 63-year-old PKR de facto leader, is currently facing sodomy charges for the second time in his life.

He has denied the charge, describing it as “evil, frivolous lies by those in power” when the charge was read out to him. He is charged under section 377B of the Penal Code and can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.

The trial began 18 months after Anwar was charged in court in August 2008.

He was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.

He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.

He led the loose pact of PKR, DAP and PAS to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: anwar ibrahim, dna, male y, saiful bukhari, sodomy

Malaysian opposition-led states have banned sports betting, officials said, following protests over its approval by the central government in the Muslim-majority country.

The opposition-led states of Kedah, Penang and Selangor said they fear betting on sports will encourage gambling, a sensitive issue in Malaysia. Muslims, who make up 60 percent of the population, are not allowed to gamble or bet at all, but non-Muslims can buy lottery tickets, bet on horse races and go to the country’s sole casino.

Ascot Sports, a company linked to tycoon Vincent Tan, announced earlier this month it had received government approval to offer betting services for football and other international sports.

Although it does not include Muslims, the announcement sparked protests by mainly Muslim opposition and private groups.

“We don’t want another problem in this country,” said Muhamad Sanusi Mohamad Nor, an official in northern Kedah state. “Football is for sports, not gambling.”

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the northern state’s large non-Muslim population is free to buy lottery tickets, and sports betting is unnecessary.

“We just want to reduce the activity. It’s excessive,” he said.

An assemblyman in central Selangor state, A. Xavier Jayakumar, said his state would also not allow any sports betting.

None of the officials could say how many betting outlets would be affected by the ban. Opposition-run northern Kelantan state forbids all forms of gambling.

Ascot Sports officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The company said it planned to launch betting in August.

The government said that by legalizing sports betting, it could gain up to $1.2 billion in tax revenues, and that rampant illegal gambling would be curbed.

Malaysia’s three-party People’s Alliance opposition, led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, won all four states in 2008 general elections.

The National Front, led by Prime Minister Najib Razak, has ruled the country since independence in 1957, usually without facing barriers to its policies. It still controls nine of 13 states.

Source : AP

Technorati Tags: Ascot Sports, bet, gamble, gambling, People's Alliance, sports betting, Vincent Tan

A political talk show producer has resigned from one of Malaysia’s main television stations, claiming Tuesday his superiors censored him in an apparent attempt to favor the government.

The resignation bolsters demands by social activists for more freedom of reporting in the mainstream media, which are often perceived to be biased against opposition groups because most newspapers and TV stations are owned or closely linked to parties in the ruling coalition.

Joshua Wong, a producer who has worked at the private station NTV7 for seven years, said he quit in late April after his managers repeatedly imposed restrictions on his Chinese-language talk show.

Wong claimed he was barred from inviting an opposition member of Parliament to speak on the government’s current economic reforms. He said he was also instructed not to include any discussion of campaigning for a recent legislature election that was intensely fought between Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ruling coalition and an opposition alliance.

“It’s very difficult to compromise this time,” Wong told The Associated Press. “If we continue to keep silent … this thing (will) happen again and again.”

An NTV7 spokeswoman said the station treated it as a “normal resignation.” She declined to comment further.

The station is owned by Media Prima Bhd., a media group which runs other private TV stations and one of Malaysia’s largest publishing groups. It is widely believed to have close ties to officials in Najib’s ruling United Malays National Organization.

Wong’s one-hour weekly show caters to the ethnic Chinese minority, who make up about a quarter of Malaysia’s 28 million people. Najib’s administration has suffered a slide in support among Chinese because of complaints that the ethnic Malay Muslim-dominated government discriminates against minorities by maintaining an affirmative action program for Malays.

Wong is known for his investigative documentaries on such topics as alleged trafficking of refugees.

Malaysia’s Center for Independent Journalism praised Wong for speaking up against alleged political censorship.

“Self-censorship is usually a shushed-up matter in newsrooms, and journalists affected are seldom inclined to expose them for fear of affecting their rice bowl in view of the harsh laws against media,” the advocacy group said.

Mainstream media need government licenses to operate, which critics say is an unfair restriction to ensure that newspapers and TV stations show flattering reports on the government.

Source : AFP

Technorati Tags: Joshua Wong, mainstream media, Media Prima, NTV7, political censorship, television stations

A Malaysian opposition politician who lost a recent special election said he would ask a court to nullify the result, claiming he was a victim of vote buying and other irregularities that favored the ruling party.

Zaid Ibrahim, who has been tipped as a future party leader, lost Sunday’s election to the ruling National Front coalition. The parliamentary seat in the rural Hulu Selangor constituency had been held by an opposition lawmaker who died last month, resulting in the special election.

Zaid said in a statement he would file a petition in court to contest the result because “blatant bribery” by Prime Minister Najib Razak and his campaign workers cost him a fair fight.

Najib’s aide, who declined to be named citing protocol, said Zaid’s claim was baseless and a “typical opposition cry.”

“It’s an insult to the Hulu Selangor electorate. … You got to give more credit to the electorate. They know who to pick,” he said.

A former law minister in the National Front government, Zaid has been tipped as a potential successor to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is on trial for alleged sodomy, one of the many troubles facing his People’s Alliance coalition.

Zaid said he would take legal action against the Election Commission, claiming it was biased.

Election Commission chairman Abdul Aziz Mohamad Yusof denied the allegations. Election petitions based on claims of irregularities have rarely succeeded.

“As far as the Election Commission is concerned, we are fair to everybody. We are professional in our work,” Abdul Aziz told The Associated Press.

Zaid alleged that names of voters were removed from the electoral roll without their knowledge, and that voters were intimidated, bribed or showered with inducements to influence their choice.

Zaid received 23,272 votes, while P. Kamalanathan, a politician from the Indian component party of the National Front coalition, got 24,997.

Zaid said he would also sue the government-linked daily Utusan Malaysia for calling him an alcoholic. During his campaign, Zaid, a Muslim Malay, had admitted to drinking alcohol in the past. But Zaid said he had since repented. Malaysian law bars Mulsims from drinking alcohol in public.

Source : Associated Press

Technorati Tags: court, election, hulu selangor, parliamentary seat, petition, vote buying, zaid ibrahim

Barisan Nasional’s (BN) P.Kamalanathan has won a hard-fought Hulu Selangor by-election in what will be seen as a boost for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration, but Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is expected to take heart from the close margin.

BN won today’s poll by just 1725 votes, recouping spoilt votes which contributed to its defeat in Election 2008, but failing to convincingly bury a strong PR.

Earlier today, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had set a target of winning by up to 6,000 votes as observers had noted that BN needed to win big after pulling out all the stops during the campaign to justify Najib’s personal involvement and its pork-barrelled spending.

The ruling coalition had thrown everything and the kitchen sink at the campaign in an attempt to put it on track to recovery after a string of by-election defeats since Election 2008.

BN had lost in all by-elections in the peninsular since 2008, except for its stronghold of Bagan Pinang in Negri Sembilan, which it retained in a by-election last October.

In today’s vote, Kamalanathan obtained 24,997 votes while Zaid received 23,272.

The results suggest BN and PR are still neck and neck in the battle for support from Malaysians, particularly in the peninsular.

“P. Kamalanathan’s win brings great meaning to BN because based on the 2008 results and this time there is a shift of support to BN by almost 2000 votes.

“This shift has great meaning because we were contesting in a state controlled by the opposition but we were able to recapture the constituency,” Najib told reporters after the announcement.

He added that the victory puts BN and the country on the right track.

“It’s a good beginning for BN. Good beginning for the new direction and agenda we have set for this nation and this means we are on the right track, the right trajectory,” said Najib.

“We’ll continue with what people want to see and more results. They’re happy with the announcements, with the thinking and policy direction but now we must make sure we provide the results,” he added.

On the margin of victory which is much lower than his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s prediction of 6,000 votes, Najib said the reduced majority was because the state government is not controlled by BN.

“We realise this is an opposition state. In the past we controlled the state, we had the strengths of federal and state governments, so in this context I’m satisfied with the results,” said Najib.

When asked about the defeat in Chinese areas, he claimed that there was improvement compared to Election 2008.

“I don’t want to make quick conclusions even though we lost most ballot boxes in Chinese areas. We lost but based on the start of the campaign I believe there is an increase,” said Najib.

Meanwhile Kamalanathan who was made BN candidate after a week of dramatic and intense negotiations between MIC and Umno leaders was quick not to claim the victory as his.

“This victory is not mine, this victory belongs to the Barisan Nasional machinery, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan and all friends of Barisan Nasional,” said Kamalanathan.

The MIC information chief also said that he would meet with the Hulu Selangor voters soon to address all the promises the party had made during the campaign period.

“I have said before that I will move to Hulu Selangor so I will look into it as soon as I can,” he told a press conference after his victory announcement.

Source : TheMalaysianInsider

Technorati Tags: barisan nasional, bn, by-election, election, hulu selangor, Kamalanathan, pkr, zaid ibrahim

Missing private investigator P. Balasubramaniam has claimed in a video clip that he was offered RM5 million to retract his statutory declaration that linked Datuk Seri Najib Razak to murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribuu, reigniting allegations that the prime minister has vehemently denied.

Balasubramaniam’s claims were aired in an undated 88-second video clip today hosted by the Malaysia-Today.net website whose main contributor is the fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin. The first statutory declaration (SD) was also put up with the video clip.

"Deepak actually came to see me because he want me to retract my first SD… After that he offered me RM5 million for me to retract the SD," Balasubramaniam said in the video clip, referring to a person whom Raja Petra says is linked to Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Balasubramaniam, a former police officer, disappeared with his family on July 4, 2008 after making a second SD that overturned the first declaration. His location remains unknown until now.

In the interview, Bala said Deepak made more than a cash offer.

“He asked me to go to Putrajaya but he never mentioned who he wanted me to go and meet… then after that he offered me RM5million to retract the SD,” Bala said.

The meeting allegedly took place at a restaurant in Rawang, on the same day Bala’s statutory declaration became public alleging links between Najib, his aide Razak Baginda and murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribu.

Today, the first part of Bala’s interview appeared on YouTube and Raja Petra’s www.malaysia-today.net . This is to be followed by a series of other portions of his Bombshell 3 expose.

Bala is likely to name people who played a role in the retraction of his first statutory declaration, which was replaced by a second one read out at a press conference the next day, on July 4 last year.

It is learnt that some of the personalities to be named are those close to the Prime Minister and his wife as well as senior police officers.

The 50-year- old former Special Branch officer is also expected to give a full account of his family’s ordeal while hiding away from Malaysia.

It is learnt that he and his family first went to Singapore , then flew to Bangkok before arriving in New Dehli and Chennai via Kathmandu.

Who are the people and why they went to such lengths to buy Bala’s silence is likely to become clearer as his expose in the interview unfolds.

Policemen Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were in April sentenced to death by the High Court for murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, ending one of the longest trials in Malaysian history.

Azilah, 33, and Sirul, 37, were found guilty of killing Altantuya, 28, and then blowing up her body in a jungle clearing at nearby Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the next day.

Source : FreeMalaysiaToday

Technorati Tags: altantuya, altantuya shaaribuu, bala, balasubramaniam, malaysia today, najib, najib tun razak, raja petra, retract, rosmah mansor, statutory declaration, video

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is suing the News Straits Times for RM100 million in damages, for insinuating he is an American agent in an article written six years ago.

The English-language daily’s former deputy group editor Datin Rose Ismail today denied defaming Anwar in the article.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court heard both their testimonies.

Meantime former ACA director of investigations Abdul Razak Idris told the High Court today he had cleared Anwar Ibrahim of allegations of stashing RM3 billion in foreign accounts and having foreign links to Western interests.

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Technorati Tags: american agent, anwar ibrahim, high court, insinuating, news straits times, nst

Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin was given a discharge not amounting to acquittal on a sedition charge by the Sessions Court today because the police cannot trace him.

Judge Rozina Ayub, in making the order, said it was most embarrassing for all the parties concerned that the prosecution had failed to serve the warrant of arrest on Raja Petra, as a result of which a discharge had to be given and the case was left hanging and without an ending.

“This case cannot proceed. It’s a pity because the prosecution had called seven witnesses,” she said.

Rozana also ordered that a notice be served on Raja Petra’s wife Marina to show cause why she should not forfeit the RM5,000 bail that she had posted.

“The bailor in this case, namely his wife, has to come to court to explain his absence, or forfeit the bail,” she said.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar told the court that the police had failed to trace Raja Petra till today.

The court had expected the case to be disposed of by the end of next month and the prosecution had lined up at least eight witnesses. However, Raja Petra went missing after seven witnesses were called.

The court subsequently gave three postponements — on May 22, July 17 and a final one on Oct 12 — to enable the prosecution and police to trace him.

On May 6 last year, Raja Petra, 60, pleaded not guilty to posting seditious words relating to an article in his website www.malaysia-today.net on April 25 last year.

Source : Bernama

Technorati Tags: acquital, court, discharge, raja petra, rpk, sedition, sessions court