MALAYSIA Today‘s editor Raja Petra Kamarudin who is popularly known by the initials RPK has breathed his last in the UK on Monday (Sept 9) night at the age of 74.
His death was confirmed by his brother Raja Idris this morning (Sept 10) to Free Malaysia Today.
“It is with great sadness that I’m informing you that my loving brother, Raja Petra Kamarudin, has just passed away at 11.26pm UK time on Monday Sept 9 in Manchester, UK,” he told the news portal in a brief text.
RPK who was born on Sept 27, 1950 has appeared frail in his latest video postings on YouTube, the last of which was aired two days ago entitled “Tarik Balik Gelaran Federal Dari Penjenayah, Kata Agong” (see main image).
RPK carved out a niche in the Malaysian political landscape as the founder of Malaysia Today where he regularly railed against corruption, ethnic division and spoke out against the government.
He was twice detained under the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), most notably in 2008 for allegedly trying to overthrow the government. RPK was freed on a habeas corpus petition later that year with his freedom regarded as a legal triumph for human rights advocates.
Despite his confrontations with Malaysian authorities, RPK has deep ties to the country’s royal institutions.
He was a member of the Selangor royal family, the nephew of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Malaysia’s 11th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. His family heritage was notable with his paternal grandfather, Raja Tun Uda, serving as the first Penang governor and Malaysia’s first High Commissioner to the UK.
RPK was also an early member of Parti Keadilan Nasional, the precursor to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) the political party formed in response to the sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister in 2008.
One of the most controversial moments in his life happened in 2008 when RPK was charged with sedition for allegedly linking then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak to the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.
While RPK later distanced himself from the accusation by stating it was based on information passed to him rather than facts he personally believed, the fall-out from the statutory declaration further cemented his reputation as a divisive yet influential figure.
In later years, RPK’s public appearances were marked by his exile in the UK where he continued to run Malaysia Today and post video commentaries on political developments back home.
His criticisms extended across the political spectrum whereby he frequently found himself at odds with both the ruling and opposition parties in Malaysia.
Born in Surrey, England and educated at the elite Malay College Kuala Kangsar, his early years were marked by tragedy when he lost his father at the age of 20. This led him to take on family responsibilities, including supporting his Welsh mother and younger siblings.
He was married to Marina Lee Abdullah, a Chinese convert and had five children together, including Raja Sara Petra who was at different points active in Gerakan and Puteri UMNO, the latter a party which her father had viciously criticised in the past.
Even as his health visibly declined in recent months, RPK remained active in his online commentary.
His death at the age of 74 marks the end of an era for many Malaysians who followed his writings and activism, but his legacy as a provocative and influential figure in the country’s political discourse will undoubtedly endure. – Sept 10, 2024
