Malaysian Blogger Freed!
Raja Petra Kamarudin, a blogger in Malaysia, will be released from from government detainment today, after having been arrested on September 12th for no reason. Raja Petra is—you'll never guess!—"one of the most vocal critics of the current government," according go the Times. What was the critism that made the government mad enough to lock him up for two months?
Mr. Raja Petra, 58, has been critical of Najib Razak, the deputy prime minister who is to become prime minister early next year. Among other accusations, Mr. Raja Petra issued a sworn statement that Mr. Najib’s wife was present at the killing of a Mongolian woman who was the mistress of one of Mr. Najib’s aides.
Oh, Malaysia. Sworn statements? Bloggers in free countries just make things up, or attribute things to "tipsters." That's how we stay out of jail. Malaysia is described "mildly authoritarian," according to lawyers, because the government has a law that allows for indefinite detention without trial. (But, you know, at least they have a law about that.) This is the blogger known as "RPK's" blog, Malaysia Today. Fun fact: RPK is also the Prince of Selangor.