Malaysia
Two reporters, lawmaker arrested and heldPosted Oct 31 2008
According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, the editor of the news website Malaysia Today, a journalist from the Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily and an opposition lawmaker were arrested in a Sept. 12 flurry of arrests.
Malaysia’s Home Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, described the seizure of Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Tan Hoon Cheng and Teresa Kok respectively as necessary to prevent racial conflicts; however, he denied it was an act meant to hamper opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s bid for control.
Tan, who was held for 16 hours and released, was arrested for reporting comments in which a ruling party politician called the Chinese community in Malaysia squatters. Raja Petra was arrested for continuing to publish articles that sparked racial issues after warnings to cease doing so. Kok was arrested for allegedly complaining about the noise of morning prayers from a nearby mosque.
Raja Petra and Kok remain in police custody.