AG lodges police reports against RPK

PETALING JAYA: Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali has lodged police reports against blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin for defamation over an article the latter wrote recently.
The country's top prosecutor, when contacted, confirmed lodging a report in Kuantan, Pahang on Sunday, with a separate report lodged by his office in Putrajaya the same day.
Apandi said he was in Kuala Terengganu when he first read the article, that accused him of being involved in corruption.
"The report was made in Kuantan, but since I first read the article in Kuala Terengganu, so the police classified it as a Kuala Terengganu report.
"However, I have been informed that Bukit Aman has taken over the investigations.
"I will leave it to the police to investigate the matter, and since I am the complainant, the investigation paper will be handled by one of my officers," he told theSun today, adding that the report was lodged for criminal defamation.
Raja Petra had, on Oct 20 in an article titled "Strong Rumours Surrounding The AG: Part 1", alleged that Apandi was involved in corruption, and accused him of getting his AG job through inappropriate means.
Apandi has since strongly denied all the allegations.
On Oct 22, Apandi had threatened to sue Raja Petra, describing the contents of the said article as "fake news, rubbish and highly defamatory".
Raja Petra is currently residing in the United Kingdom. He could not be reached for comment today.
Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd, when contacted, confirmed receiving the report lodged by Apandi.
He said the investigation is being conducted under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation.
Anyone found guilty under Section 500 of the Penal Code can be punished with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, meanwhile, deals with improper use of network facilities or network service.
A person who commits an offence under this section shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or a year's jail or to both.