Sunday 3 June 2012

Much ado about nothing

June 3, 2012

RFS broadcaster seen in Kuching recently, disappearance beginning to look like publicity stunt

KUCHING: The drama and speculations over the disappearance of Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) announcer Peter John Jaban while on his way from Miri Airport to the city seemed to have fizzled out when it was revealed that he had entered the state earlier without any problem.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when asked about Peter’s ‘houdini’ act disclosed that he had come back to the state and left in the past without any hindrance.

The Asajaya assemblyman added that he had seen Peter driving a classic car with a lady here a few weeks ago and that the RFS broadcaster had also come back for the Gawai last year. He added the whole incident could be just a publicity stunt staged by Peter and Pakatan Rakyat to stir up a storm against the government.

“From what I read in the paper and blogs, he didn’t seem to have been forcibly taken away,” said Abdul Karim.

If that was the case, he said Peter had succeeded and presume he was enjoying the publicity generated but whether it would be good or bad publicity remained to be seen.

However, the assemblyman cautioned that the case could not be considered closed until his disappearance had been reported to the police and investigations concluded.

“Until there is some clue to his disappearance or some police report made on him missing, we can’t speculate,” he said.
  
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Sarawak branch Detta Samen said John’s family members, relatives and friends had the right to know his whereabouts if indeed he was arrested.

“From the human rights point of view, if Peter John Jaban was arrested, he must be made to know for what reason.”

In another development on the announcer’s disappearance, RFS in a statement said there had been some news that John was in Miri over the past two days and appeared to be moving freely.

“This is encouraging information as we conclude that he decided to hide voluntarily after being frightened by questioning at Kota Kinabalu airport and being led to understand that he would be wanted for further questioning by Special Branch when he got to Sarawak,” the statement said.
 

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