PETALING JAYA, 22 May 2009: Blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin failed to show up again for his sedition trial at the Sessions Court here today.
Raja Petra, 59, who operates the http://www.Malaysia-Today.net website, had failed to appear at the court on 23 April for the continuation of the trial, which caused the prosecution to get a warrant of arrest issued against him.
Judge Aslam Zainuddin, who stood in for Judge Rozina Ayob, postponed the hearing to 17 July.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shah Rizal Abdul Manan had informed the court that the warrant of arrest issued on 23 April could not be served on Raja Petra. He said a show cause notice on the accused’s absence in court to the bailor, Marina Lee Abdullah, who is also Raja Petra’s wife, also could not be executed.
Defence counsel, J Chandra urged the court not to fix a date for the hearing yet until the police were able to arrest him. However, Aslam said the date needed to be set as he was only standing in for Rozina.
On 23 April, Rozina had ordered the arrest warrant be issued against Raja Petra following his failure to appear in court.
Raja Petra, 59, is accused of posting an article titled Let’s Send Altantuya Murderers To Hell which allegedly contained seditious sentences on the http://www.Malaysia-Today.net website.
He is alleged to have committed the offence at his home at No.5, Jalan BRP 5/5, Bukit Rahman Putra, Sungai Buloh, on 25 April last year. — Bernama
