Al Fatihah Raja Petra Kamarudin
September 27, 1950 to September 9, 2024.
One of Malaysia’s political veterans Raja Petra Kamarudin passed away last night in the United Kingdom. RPK, as he was known, was so much more than a blogger. He was one of the pioneers of the ‘reformasi’ movement back in 2000. His internet presence began with the Free Anwar website. Which became a go to place for Malaysians to find out what was happening in politics. Without the efforts of RPK, the reformasi movement may not have got off the ground in the way it did.
In 2004, RPK started his Malaysia Today website, carrying stories, exposes, and uncovering corruption. Most prized by his readers were his old ‘Corridors of power’ and ‘No holes barred’ articles which read like thrillers.
His writings and videos captured the attention of many Malaysians over more than two decades.
RPK was imprisoned twice under the Internal Security Act, once in 2001, and again in 2008. In 2008, RPK left the UK in self-imposed exile, after continued police persecution. He later described in detail his experiences in forced detention on his Malaysia Today website.
All sides of politics knew RPK, and were sensitive to what RPK said. He was a staunch Anwar supporter until 2008, whereafter his political slants changed over the years. RPK had deep principles about a number of issues, which included free speech. Most of all RPK took on a Machiavellian approach to the politics he described in Malaysia. From this perspective, RPK was a pragmatist, realist in his analysis by story telling of what was happening.
Although RPK had been blocked by the current regime many Malaysians went to Malaysia Today to get their daily political fill.
Politics in Malaysia won’t be the same without RPK. Its going to lose its rough edges and make it much easier for this regime and future ones to spin their narratives. RPK was the last bastion of realism, that no one will be able to replace.
Although, RPK and myself didn’t always see eye to eye, he supported my writings through his website after I was blocked by the current regime over the last year. For this I am eternally grateful. He was one of the few friends I had, after I was ‘cancelled’. RPK helped me not to feel alone.
My condolences to his remaining family. Please continue to live with fond memories of him.
Al Fatihah RPK and thank you.
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Whilst it is often said "never speak evil of the dead" Raja Petra Kamaruddin aka RPK can be made an exception.
A spinner of tall tales, many unfounded, he rode on the coat tails and backs of those who genuinely sought change in Malaysia at a time when the only change they were entitled to was to get rid of their dependance on what a white foreigner thought of them. RPK was all too eager to please this class of neo colonial and fed out of their hands.
At a dinner with him and his wife and daughter in Bangkok in 2017, both he and his wife confided to those present they were being funded by none other than Marina Mahathir for their living expenses.
He conceded that his living expenses were under written by Marina for a long time without which financial support their Nasi Lemak Coffee shop in Manchester and RPK's blogging would not have ever survived. So after all with the benefit of such a disclosure from the horses mouth, I wonder hw anyone could have honestly believed that he fought for freedom of speech.
Anwar saw the light a long time ago and whilst allowing these maggots feeding on the corpse of a bloated NED and open societies check book in Malaysia and Hong Kong, walked a very thin tight rope neither endorsing nor dissing any of these maggots in order to survive and squat all over them.
He lied about people he did not like. Produced a false document purportedly written by a key witness in the hearing into the death of political operative Teoh Beng Hock whilst in detention at the alaysian Anti Corruption Commission premises in KL.
RPK led the fools air heads of Malaysia's so called 'reformasi' mobs into the river to drown like the pied piper to rats.
These were unintelligent Malaysian middle classes who ran on the smell of an oily rag. They were hungry for sensation and gossip and were led by the likes of RPK like a farmer leading his bull by its nose rrings to the abbatoir.
His contributions to journalism and to freedom of speech were as valuable as those of a bald man preaching about the utility of combs and hair brushes to other bald men.
Regardless, his conduct contributed to the rise of Anwar Ibrahim and Anwar's journey to the Islamization and the robust reclaimation of Malay rights over all others in Malaysia.
To his family, I never did and do not hate the man or his memory. We will all have to answer that call one day. You have my sympathies.