(New Straits Times) - Police yesterday dismissed allegations that they were not doing anything to bring back fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin from London.
Federal Criminal Investigations Department chief Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said it was not easy to extradite a fugitive.
"We are, however, working on it. We have to follow procedures. Something that is wrong under our law may not be so in another country. There are obstacles in this case."
While the extradition is being sorted out, police will question people.
Bakri said these included politicians, the editor of a mainstream newspaper and journalists.
"We want to gather more information on the blogger, who is in London, from these people.
"We can call them up for questioning as we have an arrest warrant for the blogger."
One of the politicians to be questioned is former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who is now the Federal Territory PKR chief.
Raja Petra, 59, who is more popularly known as RPK, has two warrants of arrest for him after failing to attend court for his sedition trial in April and May last year.
He was charged with defaming Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
RPK was reportedly last seen at the launch of the Friends of Pakatan Rakyat event in London last Sunday, where he gave a speech.
Pakatan leaders such as Zaid, Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Nurul Izzah Anwar and Dr Hatta Ramli were also seen at the event. Pictures of Raja Petra in London with Zaid and private investigator P. Balasubramaniam are circulating on the Internet.
Bakri said Interpol had also put up a red flag on RPK, denying claims that police were not doing anything to extradite him.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hi-shammuddin Hussein said it was unfair for people to question police's handling of Raja Petra's case.
Bernama quoted Hishammuddin as saying that Malaysian police had met with their counterparts in the United Kingdom over this issue.
"The local intelligence agencies have been in touch with their UK counterparts. The Foreign Affairs Ministry held diplomatic exchanges with the UK side.
"However, in a matter like this, it requires cooperation from both sides," he said at Parliament lobby.
He was responding to Barisan Nasional Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who had questioned the seriousness of the police in tracking down and bringing back Raja Petra to Malaysia.
Hishammuddin said each country had its own stand on such matters and that Malaysia had to respect the stand taken by the country concerned, and, as such, consider other choices in resolving the case.
"Even in an extradition, you need the cooperation of that country concerned. This is being handled the best way we can.
"Go there and kidnap him, smuggle him out like in a terrorist operation? That's not Malaysia's style. The accusations made against the police are unfair."
He said what was important was to pay close attention to what Raja Petra was doing and counter his lies.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim asked the government to show proof of claims made by his former private secretary, Anuar Shaari, that the party was financing Raja Petra's stay in London.
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