PROMINENT BLOGGER ARRESTED, CHARGED IN COURT

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000631 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS AND INR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR KJUS KDEM MY SUBJECT: PROMINENT BLOGGER ARRESTED, CHARGED IN COURT REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 626 ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 563 ¶C. KUALA LUMPUR 529 ¶D. KUALA LUMPUR 335 ¶1. Police on July 17 arrested Raja Petra, controversial editor of the online portal Malaysia Today, and prosecutors charged him with criminal defamation of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor and two others. In a sworn affidavit, Raja Petra claimed he was "reliably informed" Rosmah was at the murder scene of Altantuya, a Mongolian national linked to Najib's close political advisor Baginda, who is standing trial for abetting the murder (ref C). Police issued a summons on July 16 for Raja Petra to report in on July 17, and arrested him after he arrived at the police station. (Note: The summons came only a few hours after police arrested Anwar Ibrahim, de facto Opposition leader who also linked Najib to Altantuya, ref B. End Note.) ¶2. Police transported Raja Petra him to the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court, where he was formally charged. Petra refused to enter a plea, saying the "grounds of the charges are both defective and mala fide." Petra faces a possible two-years sentence if found guilty. He is free after posting a 2,000 ringgit ($ 625) bail. The court will review case documents on August 15 and may set a trial date at that time. KEITH