Siapa dibelakang Drama RPK di Bangkok

Behind the scenes: ex-PKR man who is anti-Anwar, anti-RPK, anti-Kalimullah, anti-Nor Mohd Yakcop, anti-Malaysian Insider, and friend of Mukhriz

JMM president Azwanddin Hamzah (left), a PKR turncoat, with Mukhriz Mahathir in March at the launch of a new television programme aimed at improving Indonesia-Malaysia relations. Mukhriz features prominently in more than 12 photos at the JMM web site

by uppercaise
The pressure group Jaringan Melayu Malaysia, headed by a former member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, is behind the police report that led to the Bangkok cat-and-mouse game between the police and Raja Petra Kamarudin. It had sought police action on an alleged moves in 2009 to block Najib Razak from taking office as prime minister.

It cited allegations that RPK is said to have made, as reported by the Utusan Malaysia in its article on RPK’s interview with TV3. JMM had demanded that the police investigate the alleged “conspiracy”, that the police interrogate four people named by RPK, and that action be taken about libellous statements being made about Najib.

The report was lodged on April 14. On Friday, blogger Din Merican was interrogated at federal police headquarters for three hours, the Star reported. Din was one of four people mentioned by RPK as having knowledge of the move to block Najib.

The police action was about the so-called conspiracy and not about the statutory declaration that RPK made in 2008 that an informant, since revealed to be an army officer, had implicated Najib’s wife and two army officers in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. RPK has repeatedly asked that these allegations be investigated. Instead he himself was accused of criminal defamation.

Jaringan Melayu Malaysia is headed by Mandarin-speaking businessman Azwanddin Hamzah, 36, of Ampang. A member of Parti Keadilan for 10 years and a member of the Keadilan Youth central exco, he left the party for Umno in 2008, together with Keadilan Youth leader Ezam Mohd Noor.

In February last year, he campaigned against Malaysian Insider, and vowed he would get the site shut down. He also called for action against former New Straits Times Press deputy chairman Kalimullah Hassan and two others whom he accused of financing the web site from funds obtained from a government contract. Azwanddin also demanded explanations from the ministry of finance and asked second finance minister Nor Mohd Yakcop to explain his relationship to Kalimullah.

Azwanddin leading a demonstration against Malaysian Insider for being “traitors” to the country. Photo: Faezah Ismail.

Earlier this year at a high profile ceremony, Azwanddin announced a television programme Antara Dua Garisan to be co-produced with Indonesian stations and aimed at improving bilateral relations. The weekly 30-minute programme, involving interviews with 12 political and national leaders of both countries, is to be aired from June, over a year, according to the group.

Mukhriz Mahathir, son of the former premier and deputy trade minister, was guest-of-honour and is featured in more than a dozen photos at the web site. Other ministers featured are Zahid Hamidi, the defence minister, and Sharizat Jalil, the women’s minister.

Azwanddin has also accused PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim of supporting Raja Petra and private investigator P Balasubramaniam, who now lives in exile in India after making sensational allegations linking Najib Razak with the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu. He has also accused Kalimullah of helping Raja Petra to leave the country, and letting Raja Petra live in his London apartment. (Kalimullah has denied these allegations, and Raja Petra has revealed that he lives in Manchester.)