KUALA LUMPUR: Raja Petra Kamaruddin has thumbed his nose at the government's efforts to extradite him from the United Kingdom, saying that any bid to do so would be futile.
The controversial blogger, who has been living in the UK for the last 15 years, however said he was willing to have his statement recorded by the authorities at any Malaysian embassy, if the government foots the bill for his travel and stay.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had previously said the 73-year-old was being sought over claims that efforts were underway to overthrow the government via the so-called Dubai Move.
Razarudin had said the police were liaising with the Attorney-General's Chambers on how to facilitate this.
Raja Petra, via his YouTube channel today, poured scorn on the move and listed out why any effort to extradite him to Malaysia wouldn't work.
"Let me help them with their investigation, maybe I can save some time so that they can immediately decide on actions to be taken," he said.
He claimed that to date, Interpol has yet to be issued with a Red Notice for him, adding that the list was open to the public to inspect.
A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending extradition.
Raja Petra claimed his checks also showed that fugitive financier Jho Low, wanted for his involvement in the multi-billion dollar 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, also wasn't on the list.
"The case involving Jho Low has been going on for 10 years. Najib (former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) has also been imprisoned. And yet, a Red Notice has yet to be issued for Low," he claimed, asking the IGP and the AG to explain why.
He added that if the IGP and AG wanted, he could share with them his contacts in the country where Low is currently hiding.
Raja Petra claimed that the Malaysian authorities know where he lives in Manchester and were free to try and extradite him with the help of British authorities.
However, he said such a move would be futile as Malaysia and the UK do not have an extradition treaty.
Raja Petra explained that in order to have a person extradited from the UK, the requesting party must meet certain conditions.
He said the Malaysian government, for example, has to prove the element of dual criminality, in that the crime he allegedly committed in Malaysia is also a crime in the UK.
To have him arrested, the Malaysian government must first obtain an order from the UK courts.
"Seeing that sedition and defamation - which are among what I am being sought for - are no longer criminal offences in the UK since January 1, 2010, I fail to see how they can contain a court order to have me arrested," he said.
He also claimed that the British Home Office would also have to agree that the arrest was appropriate.
Raja Petra mocked the IGP's bid to have him investigated for the Dubai Move.
"In the latest case, the Dubai Move, I said the prime minister and the government would be toppled.
"So what? Over here (in the UK), there are talks daily about the prime minister Rishi Sunak about to be ousted," he said.
He said such talk is enshrined under freedom of speech and not a crime in the UK, hence why the Malaysian government would not be able to have him arrested.
Raja Petra also claimed that he had over the last 15 years on numerous occasions given his statement to the Malaysian authorities in its embassies worldwide.
He claimed he was willing to have his statement recorded over the Dubai Move if the government forked out for his expenses.
He claimed the Malaysian government previously paid him RM50,000 each time for his travel expenses.
"You can record my statement in Bangkok or anywhere. As per previous (arrangements) first send me RM50,000, maybe more, for my hotel and travel expenses for one week.
"In Singapore, I would usually stay at the Mandarin Oriental and the Kempinski in Bangkok."