Police Quiz Malaysia Today's Blogger - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- Police today interviewed Malaysia Today's blogger, Raja Petra Kamaruddin following a report lodged on Monday by Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib who claimed that the blog had churned out sensitive remarks.

Accompanied by his wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, 51, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua and several supporters, Raja Petra, 57, showed up at Dang Wangi Police District headquarters at about 11am.

Raja Petra who was led into the police headquarters by a policeman gave his statement at 12.15pm and until 6pm he had yet to leave the station.

According to Marina, Raja Petra received a call from a police officer with the rank of an ASP at 8am asking him to give a statement at the police station.

Dang Wangi District Police Chief ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman confirmed that Raja Petra was summoned to give his statement over his article in Malaysia Today's blog on July 11 which was said to delve on religious and racial sentiments.

This is the second time Raja Petra was summoned by police to give a statement over his article posted in the blog which started in August 2004. He had given a police statement last year.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=275482]

Umno Youth Hails Action Against Errant Bloggers - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- The Umno Youth movement said it fully supports the government's move to act against webmasters and bloggers who flouted the law and belittled the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Its Economic Bureau chief Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican said although they were free to voice their opinions, they should do so responsibly.

"Those found guilty of insulting the king must be brought to justice," he said in a statement here today.

Reezal Merican, who is also Federation of Peninsular Malay Students Association president, said nowadays bloggers were abusing freedom of speech to the extent that they dared to insult the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and disseminate slander and lies against the administration, the prime minister and his deputy.

Concerned about errant bloggers, he said, the movement lodged a report with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission on July 10.

Meanwhile, Umno Youth Public Complaints Bureau chief Datuk Subahan Kamal described groups who write on sensitive issues which include insulting the king and Islam as irresponsible and having little respect for the dignity of the people or the country.

[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=275477]