RPK to give the embassy in Bangkok a skip

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: Popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who is presently in Bangkok, has decided not to go to the Malaysian embassy in the city as was asked to do so earlier today.

Instead he has informed the Malaysian embassy officials that he was willing to meet them at his hotel in Bangkok tomorrow.

Earlier today embassy officials have approached Raja Petra, popularly known as RPK, to be present at the embassy at 9pm tonight.

“He was asked to make his way to the embassy in the Thai capital to have his statement recorded,” said Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement president Haris Ibrahim.

Haris said that Raja Petra was personally informed by Malaysian embassy officials to make himself present tonight.

“However we (his lawyers) advised him not to go and he has agreed to listen to us,” Haris told FMT.

“We have informed the embassy officials that Raja Petra was willing to cooperate with them and the police.

“He is ready to meet the officials tomorrow at his hotel, not at the embassy,” he said.

RPK is in Bangkok to attend an MCLM event. He is the president of the civil liberties movement. He met up with Malaysians and launched the Thailand Chapter of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement.

“Embassy officials told him in person just before this afternoon at the MCLM event at the Florida Hotel in Bangkok to be present at the embassy right after the event,” said Haris.

Haris also stressed that RPK was not arrested by the embassy officials.

“The officials told him that there were two police officials waiting to take a statement from him. We told them he will cooperate with the police, but not at the embassy.

“We are now waiting for the embassy officials to revert to us after discussing with the police officials,” he said.

TV3 interview

It is believed that RPK has been asked to give a statement involving his statutory declaration (SD) which he signed on June 2008.

In his SD, he had claimed that he was informed by a senior military intelligence officer of the alleged involvement of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

However two weeks ago, RPK in a TV3 interview said that he was asked to discredit Najib so that another Umno veteran, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, can replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the prime minister. He also said that PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim was aware of the plot.

Following the TV3 interview, the police have taken statements from several individuals, including one linked to Anwar yesterday.

Raja Petra’s site Malaysia Today reported that it was not known if he would be arrested if he appears at the Malaysian embassy.