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PUTRAJAYA, Jan 4 - 2010-- Malaysia Today portal editor Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin may be charged for using a foreign passport to leave the country if a report is lodged against him, said Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.
Abdul Gani, who was asked whether it was possible to charge the blogger had he been found using a foreign passport to flee the country last year, however, did not confirm if such report was made.
"We have to consider (charging Raja Petra) if there is a report lodged against him and investigations conducted from the report made," he told reporters here Monday.
Abdul Gani said the important thing now was to get hold of Raja Petra first, before re-charging him.
"You don't simply charge a person when you can't get him. When you are sure of getting the person, then you proceed. Since the court granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, he can face the same charges when he is back in the country," he said.
Abdul Gani, who was asked whether it was possible to charge the blogger had he been found using a foreign passport to flee the country last year, however, did not confirm if such report was made.
"We have to consider (charging Raja Petra) if there is a report lodged against him and investigations conducted from the report made," he told reporters here Monday.
Abdul Gani said the important thing now was to get hold of Raja Petra first, before re-charging him.
"You don't simply charge a person when you can't get him. When you are sure of getting the person, then you proceed. Since the court granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, he can face the same charges when he is back in the country," he said.
He said the government was still in the process of identifying the location of Raja Petra and once located, proper applications would have to be made in accordance with the respective country, to bring him back to Malaysia and face charges.
Raja Petra was alleged to have used a passport from a neighbouring country to flee to Britain and the Immigration authorities had confirmed that there was no record of him passing through its checkpoint.
Raja Petra went missing after two warrants of arrest were issued for failing to attend court hearings on April 23 and May 23, for publishing seditious words and defaming Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, on his portal, www.malaysiatoday.net.
The Sessions Court later granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Nov 11 and 13, as the police were yet to serve the warrant of arrest on him.
Raja Petra was alleged to have used a passport from a neighbouring country to flee to Britain and the Immigration authorities had confirmed that there was no record of him passing through its checkpoint.
Raja Petra went missing after two warrants of arrest were issued for failing to attend court hearings on April 23 and May 23, for publishing seditious words and defaming Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, on his portal, www.malaysiatoday.net.
The Sessions Court later granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Nov 11 and 13, as the police were yet to serve the warrant of arrest on him.
-- BERNAMA
