KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, who has been reporting on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy, is now under protection from UK police after being followed and photographed in London, The Independent reported today.
Rewcastle-Brown also told the British paper that Malaysia’s arrest warrant for her for allegedly carrying out activities “detrimental to parliamentary democracy” was a tactic designed to frighten her sources.
“It’s not something they could execute against me. They have charged me under laws that don’t exist in the UK or any other normal democratic country,” she was quoted saying.
“What they have said is that I have printed material that has caused concern in the minds of the public and that is a crime, apparently,” the Sarawak-born British investigative journalist added.
The Independent reported that Rewcastle-Brown was photographed having tea at a restaurant in Hyde Park while meeting a former Malaysian official who was on holiday.
“I had my back to the big glass window and he kept looking over my shoulder and getting nervous and he said ‘You do know you are being followed?’” Rewcastle-Brown was quoted saying.
She then reported the matter to London police.
“They have put a detail on my house because we have had men sitting in cars, idling. It’s absurd,” she reportedly said.
CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh said Tuesday the arrest warrant for Rewcastle-Brown, granted by a court here, was for offences under Sections 124B and 124I of the Penal Code.
He added that Rewcastle-Brown will also be placed on the Aseanapol wanted list as well as the Interpol red notice.
Section 124B, which covers activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy, stipulates that those convicted under the law will be liable to a maximum prison term of 20 years.
Section 124I, on the other hand, states that “any person who, by word of mouth or in writing or in any newspaper, periodical, book, circular, or other printed publication or by any other means including electronic means spreads false reports or makes false statements likely to cause public alarm, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years.”
