Malaysia’s folk hero Raja Petra opts for jail to prove a point
Spent the evening working with Mus on a press statement in response to the action taken against Raja Petra.
It is just three days after we marked World Press Freedom Day.
Not good. And downright depressing.
But mind you, this move could backfire. It is high stakes poker, and I guess they didn’t anticipate that Raja Petra would refuse bail. Now he is in jail and the glare of the international media will focus even more on him, the Malaysian government, the judiciary and the Altantuya trial.
Certain people are going to be shifting in their seats rather uncomfortably - or maybe having sleepless nights. They have no idea what Raja Petra is going to say in court, come October.
As Malaysiakini observes, hauling Raja Petra to court has only turned him into a legend - if he is not already one. For it was Raja Petra and his Malaysia Today website that played a not insignificant role in the fall of five states to Pakatan Rakyat.
- Raja Petra detained under ISA as 16 Sept nears
- RPK’s habeas corpus hearing brought forward to 23 Sept
- Raja Petra freed on bail (updated/corrected)
- RPK in court now
- Inspiring sense of one-ness outside RPK’s trial



[...] due to his criticisms of governmental shenanigans and wrongdoing. Petra is something of a folk hero in Malaysia, and his writing is deemed pivotal to the political shakeups that have led to [...]