The government sends me a message

They wanted me to know that this is not a robbery. And they also left me a ‘message’. What this message means is not too clear at this stage but the knives and scissors they left all over the place appears to be telling me something, whatever that is.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas, my senior in the Malay College Kuala Kangsar and a senior member of Umno’s Disciplinary Committee, wants me to return to Malaysia and, according to him, ‘be a man’. He promised me his eternal respect if I do that.

I cannot guarantee I will get his eternal respect if I do that. I can, however, guarantee I shall not be sleeping at home if I surface. I will either be living in the Sungai Buloh Prison -- while awaiting trial on most likely more than a dozen criminal charges that would include crimes of sedition (probably six different charges), criminal defamation (three charges), the Official Secrets Act (probably four of five different charges), the Multimedia Act, etc. -- or I will be living in the Kamunting Detention Center under ISA detention without trial.

We can safely assume that my many trials will take many, many years (especially when you include the appeal to the Appeal Court and Federal Court) and that I will be sitting in jail without bail while the whole process unfolds. Remember Irene Fernandez? Her trial took almost ten years.

So it really does not matter if in the end I win or lose my case. The sentence would probably be six months to 18 months for each charge. Even if I win my case I would still have spent many years in jail. And if I lose my case and get sentenced to jail I would walk out that same day because I would have already served my sentence anyway. And the remand I would suffer would be longer than the jail sentence.

In other words, it would be easier to plead guilty and get a shorter sentence than plead innocent and then win my case while spending an even longer period in jail.

Megat has guaranteed me a fair trial. He has also indicated that the government can guarantee my safety and that nothing will happen to me.

Megat may want to reconsider that offer. Last night, some people broke into my house in Sungai Buloh. They managed to disable the alarm system and break the door to get in.

But nothing was stolen, not even the box of coins. They ransacked my cupboards and went through all my documents. They were definitely looking for something (or wanted to leave something) and were not interested in stealing anything. My TV, DVD player, etc. were not touched. Neither were the other valuables in the house.

They wanted me to know that this is not a robbery. And they also left me a ‘message’. What this message means is not too clear at this stage but the knives and scissors they left all over the place appears to be telling me something, whatever that is.

I can imagine me sleeping in prison and my wife alone at home not knowing when they will come again to fulfil the ‘message’.

Thank you very much Megat but no thanks. Your people sent me a message last night. Knives and scissors placed all over the place probably mean something, though I am not sure exactly what. Or maybe a bomoh (witch doctor) was at work and this is the ‘charm’ that was planted in my house. That is a possibility. They can’t get me legally so they are trying to finish me off with black magic. Hmm…that’s a thought.

Anyway, to hell with your message, Megat. My message is better. Umno’s and Barisan Nasional’s days are numbered so enjoy these last days of your regime while you still can. The day we march into Putrajaya will be the day of reckoning. And I will make sure I make your people swallow those knives and scissors they left in my house last night.