KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok and a Sin Chiew Daily News reporter were arrested Friday under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Raja Petra was picked up from his house in Sungai Buloh at 1.10pm, Kok in the Klang Valley at 11.20pm while the Sin Chew Daily News reporter, Tan Hoon Cheng, was picked up from her house in Bukit Mertajam in Penang at 8.30pm.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar confirmed the arrest of Raja Petra, 58, saying he was being detained under Section 731 of the Act.Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar, when contacted, confirmed the arrest of Kok and Tan under the ISA but declined to elaborate further.
Syed Hamid said when contacted that Raja Petra was detained after it was ascertained that he could disrupt and threaten security and public order.
Syed Hamid said the blogger's detention came in the wake of various statements published by Raja Petra in his blog "Malaysia Today", the latest being a commentary which allegedly ridiculed Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
"We have called and advised him many times following the publishing of his statements but he has continued to write, so much so that they (the statements) could pose a threat (to security and public order)," he said.Raja Petra reportedly incited Muslims with a commentary on the article "I promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim" which contained sentences that ridiculed Muslims besides allowing a commentary which ridiculed Islam and Prophet Muhammad with reference to the article "Not all Arabs are descendants of the Prophet" published in the "Malaysia Today" blog.
Section 731 of the ISA permits the detention of an individual for up to 60 days.
In Penang, news of Tan's arrest prompted several political party leaders, reporters and photographers to gather outside the Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters where the reporter was taken to.Tan's family members were also there but declined to be interviewed.
At 11.10pm, Tan was seen coming out of the Seberang Perai Tengah IPD accompanied by two policemen and entering a Proton Waja car, believed to be heading to the state police headquarters on the island.The car was also escorted by two dark-tinted Proton Wira cars, and on passing by the group of waiting reporters, Tan managed to wave at them.
Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng, who was earlier allowed by police to enter the IPD to see the detained reporter but was not allowed to speak to her, told reporters that Tan who was not handcuffed, appeared calm but shed some tears.
Meanwhile, Raja Petra's wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, said 10 policemen came to the house and detained her husband at 1.10 pm and took him away at 1.50 pm. Marina said the police also took several tapes and a computer from her husband's room.
Raja Petra was detained under the ISA in April 2001 for his involvement in the reformation movement and was held for 53 days at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping, Perak.-
- BERNAMA
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