Sunday May 24, 2009

Cops: RPK now staying in Brisbane

By ANDREW SAGAYAM and ROYCE CHEAH

PETALING JAYA: Police have confirmed that online news portal Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin is in Brisbane.

A police source said the former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee had contacts in Australia who had arranged accommodation for him and his wife Marina Lee Abdullah.

Raja Petra was not present on Friday to face his sedition trial at the Sessions Court here. The court had issued a warrant of arrest against him after he first failed to turn up in court on April 23 for the trial.

On his news portal that same day, Raja Petra had posted his reasons for his non-attendance, saying he was in self-exile from Selangor because of a dispute with the state’s royalty.

The arrest warrant and a show-cause notice for Marina — who is his bailor — summoning her to explain her husband’s absence at court had not been executed.

The court set July 17 for mention of the case, saying that the next course of action would be decided by judge Rozina Ayob.

Raja Petra has, however, been actively blogging on the news portal with a recent post issuing an apology to the nation for the actions of his son, Raja Azman, who recently pleaded guilty to four separate counts of theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass.

He said he and his wife knew that their son was picked up by the police after running into some trouble.

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