M'SIA'S FUGITIVE BLOGGER RAJA PETRA GIVES POLICE STATEMENT IN BANGKOK

BANGKOK, April 24 (Bernama) -- Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin voluntarily gave a statement to Malaysian police, here, Saturday night, over his statutory declaration allegedly linking the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor to Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder four years ago.

He gave the statement upon request by the Malaysian police at a hotel, here. He was not arrested.

"Initially, the Malaysian police wanted to interview me at the Malaysian embassy here but upon advice from my lawyers and some compromise with the police, they agreed to change the venue to a neutral ground, the hotel where I am staying," Raja Petra said.

"I am willing to cooperate and give the statement because they wanted to know if I made the allegation against Rosmah," he told the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) dialogue, here.

During the dialogue, he reiterated his stand that he was wrongly charged as he did not make the allegation against Rosmah and two others but against his source, a military colonel who fed him the information.

In his 2009 statutory declaration, Raja Petra alleged, among others, that he was informed by the source that Rosmah was present during the murder of the Mongolian woman.

Raja Petra, who is MCLM chairman, is in town as part of his campaign to establish MCLM Thailand chapter.

According to him, MCLM which was formed in 2004, had yet to get approval from the Registrar of Societies but in London, the movement was legalised in October last year.

The MCLM dialogue was held at a hotel, here, Saturday night and he left the hotel to go to another where he is staying during his visit for his statement to be recorded.

Raja Petra fled Malaysia in 2009 after being charged with defaming three people including Rosmah through his statutory declaration.

During his recent interview with Malaysia's TV3, he revealed that the statutory declaration linking Prime Minister Najib Razak and Rosmah with the murder was made based on information and demand by several individuals aimed at preventing Najib from becoming prime minister.