Call for Help: Malaysian blogger unjustly imprisoned for 2 years without trial

wow... impressive but a bit funny. When you were learning how to count from 1 to 10, I was already learning why numbers even existed

Let me share with you something. When a statistic is conducted on human behaviour/social issues, a lot more items need to be taken into consideration. This is because the nature of statistic analysis itself is based on objective, factual and indisputable evidence. But the fact is this assumption ignores the social processes involved in the creation and dissemination of numbers, processes that are often glossed over in statistics courses.

Statistics instruction tends to focus on matters of calculation: that is, we were taught a measure’s underlying logic, the formula used to compute the measure and/or the software commands used to extract it from the computer, and some guidelines for interpreting the numbers that result from these computations.

Unfortunately our culture assigns statistics “facticity,” that is they are presumed to be facts. But less to notice that people create statistics; they choose what to count, how to go about counting, and which of the resulting numbers they will share with others. Numbers do not exist independent of people; understanding numbers requires knowing who counted what, and why.

I am not suggesting that anything fraudulent is involved in this process, nor am I criticizing the quality of this research. But the fact is statistical instruction tends to whisk past any consideration of how real-life statistics come into being. All statistics are products of choices and compromises that inevitably shape, limit, and distort the outcome. Some statistics conductors tend to dismiss this as irrelevance. It is as though statistics are pure, unless they unfortunately become contaminated by biased people with their bad motives.

But all statistics are produced by people who have reasons for choosing to count particular things in particular ways. So statistics instruction needs to address this social process. It needs to concern itself with matter of construction–as well as calculation.

Check out some of this books if you need to learn more:

Huff, Darrell (1954). How to Lie with Statistics. W.W.
Norton & Company.

Hooke, Robert (1983). How to Tell the Liars from the
Statisticians. Marcel Dekker.

Best. Joel (2001). Damned Lies and Statistics:
Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and
Activists. University of California Press.

 

Malaysia’s Risk-Takers
By Shawn W. Crispin

http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2008/Malaysia/Malaysia08.html

The government’s promise not to censor the Internet has allowed bloggers more latitude than journalists working in other media. Now, with a leading blogger jailed, that freedom is in jeopardy.

The jailing of Raja Petra Kamarudin, a self-described risk-taker who has led Malaysia’s lively blogging culture, has come to symbolize the government’s new assault on Internet expression. On September 12, police raided Raja Petra’s residence, seized documents, and arrested the popular blogger under the draconian Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

Two weeks later, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar ordered the detention extended for two years on charges that Raja Petra published seditious and anti-Islamic articles on his blog, Malaysia Today. The government, signaling a wider crackdown on dissent, detained a newspaper journalist and an opposition politician the same day.

In the four years since he launched Malaysia Today, the 58-year-old Raja Petra has established a reputation for running news and commentary critical of the administration. This year, as the ruling party’s influence has slipped, the government has stepped up harassment of the blog’s founder. Raja Petra’s reporting on a politicized murder case led to several days of detention on sedition charges in May and, later, to three counts of criminal defamation. In August, government regulators ordered domestic Internet service providers to block Malaysia Today on grounds that the blog was publishing seditious material. The move also happened to coincide with Raja Petra’s plans to post real-time results of a special election eventually won by opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim.

Despite the government’s actions, Malaysia Today has managed to survive. Raja Petra got around the censorship order by publishing the blog on a mirror site and creating new Internet addresses in foreign countries. His wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, and colleagues have continued to publish since his imprisonment. And in a September 30 post written and smuggled out of prison, Raja Petra remained defiant as he described his conditions.

That attitude was on display when CPJ interviewed Raja Petra a month before his imprisonment. “I’ve been charged with everything from insulting Islam, the prime minister, the sultans—every known living thing,” he said, relaxing that day in a restaurant in the Bangsar neighborhood. “Islam makes it mandatory to oppose oppression. It’s your duty, and it’s what I’m doing.”

A former businessman turned political activist, Raja Petra started Malaysia Today in August 2004 in response to what he considered to be a chronic lack of critical coverage in the state-controlled mainstream media. The site runs commentary and news from three regular, pseudonymous writers. With a steady stream of hard-hitting reports, he claims a higher daily readership than most Malaysian newspapers.

Malaysia Today has been at the forefront of the country’s vibrant and proliferating blogosphere, which independent researchers, press freedom advocates, and journalists say has expanded the boundaries of Malaysian press freedom. News-driven blogs like Raja Petra’s have taken hard aim at the government and individual politicians, providing a sharp counterpoint to state-led television news and ruling party-influenced newspapers. “We take risks no one else takes,” Raja Petra told CPJ in August.

The Malaysian government has long held local newspapers and magazines in check through a renewable licensing system that has also led to arbitrary suspensions. National security laws such as the Internal Security Act, Sedition Act, and Official Secrets Act have instilled a culture of self-censorship at most news publications.

But a government pledge not to censor the Internet, first made in 1996, has allowed bloggers and online news sites to tackle tough issues the mainstream media habitually neglect. The no-censorship policy, developed by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, was designed to lure foreign investment to the Multimedia Super Corridor project, a big ticket, state-led bid to incubate Malaysia’s own version of the Silicon Valley.

The country’s commitment to an open Internet appears to be in doubt now. With only a clutch of multinational companies in residence, the incubator project has failed to live up to commercial expectations. And as Malaysia’s blogosphere has grown in political significance, the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) has seen its own position weakened. In March elections, UMNO lost its two-thirds majority in parliament and control over five of the national federation’s 13 states. Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and others have lashed with greater frequency against bloggers, claiming they publish false and libelous material.

The government’s actions against Malaysia Today were the first instances in which the government directly broke its no-censorship pledge, but journalists and human rights lawyers told CPJ that troubling signs had been coming throughout the year. “The government seems to be intent on creating a climate of fear, although with dubious procedures,” says Jun-E Tan, a doctoral student at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University who recently co-authored a book on Malaysian blogs and their impact on democratization.

Unconfirmed blog reports, for example, said that a hard-line UMNO faction working alongside the Science Ministry had explored closing YouTube and template blog sites such as Wordpress and Blogspot in the run-up to the March election. Around the same time, reports posted on several blogs said that UMNO’s youth wing had compiled a list of 30 local bloggers it considered potential threats to social stability.

Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek would not confirm or deny those reports. In e-mail comments made to CPJ before Raja Petra’s arrest, he said “the government encourages the growth of online journalism” and that Malaysia “was one of the freest environments on earth where blogs and bloggers are concerned, even compared with the United States, Britain, and Europe.”

“What we stress is accountability. … The government is, of course, concerned with anyone who is out to undermine the country’s peace and stability,” said Ahmad Shabery. “If the person who tries to incite racial discord happens to be a blogger, the government will act against him, not because he is a blogger, but because he is out to create trouble.”

That’s clearly how the government views the likes of Raja Petra. Last year, the blogger ran a 12-part series on corruption among police, particularly alleged links to organized crime syndicates. Before that, he ran a series of investigative reports on alleged nepotism involving Abdullah and son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin, deputy chief of UMNO’s youth wing.

“I have deep throats both inside and outside government,” Raja Petra told CPJ before his imprisonment. Yet neither those sources nor his lineage to one of Malaysia’s main royal families has shielded him from government harassment. Since launching his blog, Raja Petra says he has been hauled in for police questioning more times than he can remember. He has also received anonymous death threats on his cell phone, although he said he doesn’t take the calls too seriously.

“I’m a risk-taker, not a troublemaker,” he said in August. “We see how far we can go with what the government considers a crime and see if we can get away with it.” Now, as Raja Petra sits in solitary confinement, the Malaysian government appears to have responded.

Shawn W. Crispin is a Bangkok-based journalist and consultant to CPJ’s Asia Program.

 

Bdavid, you've shown your true colours. The fact is, real professional researchers and any student with a masters degree can tell from your postings that you have never done a professional survey before. I'm sorry, but this is the last time I respond to any of your comments. Please do what you promised to do; we're all waiting for you to share the info you get from the independent Merdeka Centre think-tank. ian

"I have said to you to speak the truth is a painful thing. To be forced to tell lies is much worse." - Oscar Wilde

 

He can show proof now.. no need to wait for his release! LOL...

All he have to do is to ask his wife to show the proof with a lawyer beside her..

Is it so hard?

No trust in Malaysian law? Go overseas and show the proof there.. You guys collected thousands of ringgit with your blogger fund... Can't you send some one overseas and show the proof?

Treating like an animal?

LOL.. if you broke the law, you will be caught and put in jail.....
You do the crime, you pay the time...

Do you want a VIP service or something in a f**king jail?

Show the proof my friend.. it is so like Anwar.. LOL 30 MPs.. but nothing until today.. not even a single name..

Peace bro!

 

What kind of law is this? Where is the true freedom anyway?

 

Knm77, RPK needs his day in court so that he can show his proof in a legal environment where his evidence cannot be denied, cannot be covered up and will be placed on record within the judicial system.

You have already judged and sentenced RPK without trial -- where's the proof that he broke the law? Until he is charged and convicted in a court of law, RPK is innocent in the eyes of the law.

We only put animals behind bars without trial. The constitution guarantees all Malaysians the basic right of innocent until proven guilty. With ISA, this constitutional right is conveniently overridden by those in power for their own agenda. The issue here is that as Malaysians, we must call for the abolition of the draconian ISA law -- because now it is aimed at RPK, but tomorrow it could be you, me or someone you love. ian

 

Krolbiz, the irony is that those in power now who are using the ISA for their own ends, were in the past critical of the ISA before they came to power

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Security_Act_of_Malaysia

I quote from wikipedia:

However, several politicians from the Barisan Nasional coalition, including its largest component party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO or Umno), that has governed Malaysia since independence have also criticised the ISA. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state "If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics." The year before, he had also stated "Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law." In 2003 when he became Prime Minister, however, Abdullah called the ISA "a necessary law," and argued "We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society." But opposition parties believe it is a threat to Umno rather than a threat to the country.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mahathir had also adhered to a critical view of the ISA. In 1966, when Mahathir spoke out in support of the Internal Security (Amendment) Bill 1966 as a backbencher, he stated that "no one in his right senses like the ISA. It is in fact a negation of all the principles of democracy."[5] After becoming Prime Minister however the former premier had little if any hesitation using the law to suppress what he termed racialism but was seen by some as a move against his political opponents, the most notable of events being the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987.

Friends, please sign the petitions!

http://abolishisa.com/project1/abolishisa_login.php

http://www.petitiononline.com/isa1234/petition.html

Thanks, ian

 

LOL...

I always believe that a law is a law...
We must always follow the law of the country...
Draconian law... hey guess what... one country
hanged somebody if you do drugs and another
country just put you in jail.. so which one have the
most draconian law?

You spread hatred among the people with your
blog without showing any proof...

Like I said you do the crime you pay the time...
Like it or not we have ISA... and USA have Patriot Act...
Singapore have their law on this... So every country
have their own law regarding this issue..

Before he wrote it....report to the police or something..
don't trust the police? Go overseas and show the proof...
(before you write anything...)

And... is it that if RPK is behind the jail that he cannot
produce the proof.. what a joke...! Show the proof now!

So why he is still not producing any proof..?

To create sympathy? To make money on his blogs? To defeat BN?

Pakatan is strong anyway nowadays... So beat BN while they are
down...

Stop the nonsense!

He still can show the proof behind bars or not!
Don't trust the judicial institution of this country, let the people be
his judge and we change the government on the next election...

Show the people the PROOF and we will be the judge on the
next general election!

Najib can't be a PM if he shows us the proof now!

Why wait for his release?

And guess what.... we already believe that there is no sodomy
case against Anwar because he already show the PROOF in his
blog (remember the medical report)! And that is why Pakatan is
getting stronger than before....

What I'm trying to say is..... SHOW US THE PROOF!

P/S: Don't make up excuses when you don't have the proof...

 

FYI,

I'm neither BN or PKR supporter and I am the one they called "atas pagar".

We see things differently...

Peace bro!

 

Knm77, you ask for proof yet you contradict yourself because again you have already judged and sentenced RPK without trial -- where's the proof that he broke any law? Again, until he is charged and convicted in a court of law, RPK is innocent in the eyes of the law. Don't play judge and jury at your convenience.

The real issue here is that ISA is a draconian law being misused by those in power. Why are they so afraid of RPK? After all, he's just a blogger. If he has done something wrong, charge him in court. No reason to put him behind bars like an animal without trial. Give him the chance to defend himself; this right is guaranteed in our constitution. But ISA is being used cynically to take away this right.

Like you, I'm also fed-up over our current will he-won't he politics and postponement of deadlines. As mentioned it's not healthy for our country or Malaysians. I hope the truth of things come out soon so that we can all go back to our normal lives.

The fact is, the ISA is being misused, and RPK is currently the one being targeted by it. Remember Tan Hoon Cheng, the journalist, and Teresa Kok, MP for Seputeh? The reasons they were recently placed under ISA were farcical to say the least, based on malicious lies and arrogance of power. Even the MPs within BN called for their immediate release! RPK's detention is simply an extension of this arrogance. If we the people, do not take a stand now against the ISA, do you want your kids to still be living in fear of this oppressive law as they grow up?

Also, don't you find it hypocritical that those in power today once criticised the ISA but are now using it themselves for their own political agenda? This is a fact, please see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Security_Act_of_Malaysia

I quote from wikipedia:

However, several politicians from the Barisan Nasional coalition, including its largest component party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO or Umno), that has governed Malaysia since independence have also criticised the ISA. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, went on the record in 1988 to state "If we want to save Malaysia and Umno, Dr Mahathir (then Prime Minister) must be removed. He uses draconian laws such as the Internal Security Act to silence his critics." The year before, he had also stated "Laws such as the Internal Security Act have no place in modern Malaysia. It is a draconian and barbaric law." In 2003 when he became Prime Minister, however, Abdullah called the ISA "a necessary law," and argued "We have never misused the Internal Security Act. All those detained under the Internal Security Act are proven threats to society." But opposition parties believe it is a threat to Umno rather than a threat to the country.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mahathir had also adhered to a critical view of the ISA. In 1966, when Mahathir spoke out in support of the Internal Security (Amendment) Bill 1966 as a backbencher, he stated that "no one in his right senses like the ISA. It is in fact a negation of all the principles of democracy."[5] After becoming Prime Minister however the former premier had little if any hesitation using the law to suppress what he termed racialism but was seen by some as a move against his political opponents, the most notable of events being the infamous Operasi Lalang in 1987.

To reject ISA, we must call for the immediate release of RPK and all the other ISA detainees, and the abolition of all oppressive laws like the ISA. ian

 

"Knm77, you ask for proof yet you contradict yourself because again you have already judged and sentenced RPK without trial -- where's the proof that he broke any law? Again, until he is charged and convicted in a court of law, RPK is innocent in the eyes of the law. Don't play judge and jury at your convenience."

LOL.....

Ask people to hate the leaders (or send them to hell)...
And what happened if a lot of people believe in it....
Wait until we become like what happened in Bangkok?

I don't think so..

They are talking about freedom of speech... and we are
talking about the rights to live in peace and harmony...

If don't like the government, criticize the government...
Change the government in the next General Election...

The site always tell people that they stand up for
democracy...

Democracy my *ss!

No Holds Barred! (No Holds Barred my *SS!)

Keep on complaining on the government and
all the PKR leaders a saint... never make any mistake!
Everything they do is always right no matter what!

LOL funny!

If you are claiming that you are the last man
standing for democracy then be fair... don't be a
hypocrite... criticize the PKR leaders as well....

PKR leaders is not god! They also do mistakes!
At least I can see that Utusan or The Star criticize
the government if they make mistakes...

In Malaysia-Today.net... nothing... in Harakah... nothing...
and don't tell me they criticize their leaders in Suara Keadilan....

Our leaders will not make any mistakes.... yeah right!

PKR leader is a saint!

LOL what a joke..!

Like I always said... there is a law to follow...
let it be Sedition Act, ISA or whatever law
existed...

It is up to the authority to interpret the law
and catch them...

If they are wrong.. fight it or to the extent change
the government in the next elections...

Don't ask the people to send the leaders to HELL....

Robin Hood is a hero or a villain..? He is the hero for
the poor but is it right to literally rob the rich
and give them the loots?

Should we let Robin Hood off because of that?

Or should we not catch people who rob other people
because the robber want to feed his family?

See the similarities?

LOL I don't know... it all depends on whether you are seeing
this in a "democratic" way or not...

 

And yes...

"However, several politicians from the Barisan Nasional coalition, including its largest component party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO or Umno), that has governed Malaysia since independence have also criticised the ISA."

I agree with that... but is there any law that is perfect?

LOL I guess not...

The problem here is that people adore RPK so much while they
cannot see the real problems...

He ask people to hate the leaders... he criticize Islam and the prophet...

He have gone so far...

RPK is always right! Yeah right...!

He is just a blogger... yes you are right... but... a writer is much more
dangerous than a sword..

Don't like ISA.. fine... fight for it.. but don't treat RPK as a God!

Nobody question the ISA when the government use them against Al-Arqam leaders...

LOL so funny..!

 

I signed your petition, I hope they release him.

 

It has been my interest on seeing what will happen to Malaysia Politics. We have been neighbor for a long time now. Its been my interest since DS Anwar Ibrahim case. BN has been Malaysia Government for more than 50 years I think.."Sorry if I'm wrong". The truth is I'm a Fan of Dr.Mahathir and always amazed by his way own getting Malaysia known to the world. But sadly with the current Prime Minister, I'll say it is better for Malaysian to change their PM or BN will fall down in their next election.

Again Correct me if I'm wrong..when Mahathir was the PM, on DS Anwar case, Anwar did got his trial right? I mean still there is a trial happen right?

And for RPK, I always wonder if he's really from royal blood..I read about Him and to my surprise that there are no trial for him. I read that the current PM has been using ISA Law on this case and the Malaysian are not agreed in this.

Anyway I still don't agree with the ISA Law. Everyone has a right to have their trial no matter what crime he/she did. Even Rape and Murder had to go through trial, so I don't understand why by blogging RPK don't get one.

However I do agree with knm77. If one don't like the current government, they should change it in their next election. That's what Democracy for right??

 

we all need free speech

 

I think I post this news once, I can't remember.
Edit:
Found it, in here

But this is interesting.
How the laws in many countries treat blogs? Do they treat blogs like newspaper or just some personal opinions?
Do blog posts need to be factual with some proves? or can blogs posts just a simple chats among friends like in coffee shop?

I always think that I can talk anything in my blogs, and I don't have to prove it to anyone. If they don't like it, don't read it.

Malaysia goverment far from fair, i think malaysia is one of a few country left that still follow racism.
Malaysia: Racism Allowed, Protest Banned

 

I couldn't agree more bfebrian, I heard about theres a lot of problem with Malaysian Law. Even their Bar Councils gather to make protest about it, and if im not mistaken Malaysian Government do banned any protest held towards them. I mean how can the Malaysian trust their Government when their own lawyers protest on their Law right? Currently I heard that Malaysian wanted to change their Government now (Barisan Nasional) to a new parties that has DS Anwar as their leader (PKR). But I'm not sure when it will be done. I have many friends in Malaysia, I often heard about Anwar and I think he really capable in leading Malaysia towards greater era.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3618586.stm

 

Now I'm pissod off with the Malaysian government. They just released or Deputy Prime Minister's advisor..

I hate them... hmmm.. where to sign the petition...?

KNM77