By Rahmah Ghazali
KUALA LUMPUR: Former PKR strongman Zahrain Mohamed Hashim has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe the financial source behind fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, who is now in self-exile in London.
According to the Independent Bayan Baru MP, the financial source is allegedly linked to PKR and the party's supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim.
He also claimed to have documents to prove this.
Among others, Zahrain alleged that Zaid made two reservations at the Britannia Hotel in Manchester, for himself and Raja Petra.
Zahrain also claimed that Raja Petra's lawyer Amarjit Singh, “who has connections with PKR”, had sent RM470,000 to the blogger on July 4 last year.
“I know of a link between senior party leaders and Raja Petra, including the party's heir, Zaid. This was proven when he booked two hotel rooms in Manchester. So I would like to forward this evidence to the (Law) Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz and MACC to investigate.
“I’m sure there is a plot… does Raja Petra, who now lives in London, get financial assistance from his friends in the party? I want the minister to answer,” he said.
Two arrest warrants have been issued against Raja Petra, the editor of Malaysia Today, when he failed to turn up for his court case on April 23 and May 23.
Raja Petra has been accused of defaming Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, in an article concerning the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
He was also accused of defaming Rosmah and two others in a statutory declaration last June.
The Sessions Court later granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Nov 11 and 13, as the police had not served an arrest warrest on him.
'Don't deceive the people'
Meanwhile, Zahrain said Pakatan Rakyat leaders should not “deceive the people” by claiming that there is no link between them and the blogger.
“To say that PKR and Pakatan have no links with him is a lie… Zaid booked the hotel rooms from Oct 1 to Oct 3 while Raja Petra booked a room from Oct 1 to Oct 4.
“If it’s a coincidence, then it is a very rare coincidence,” he said.
“What was he (Zaid) doing in Manchester with Raja Petra? If he is a fugitive, what is a Pakatan leader doing with a fugitive?” he asked.
