The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) has obtained a warrant for the arrest of Sarawak Report founder and editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, in the midst of the ongoing furore over sovereign development fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and allegations of wrongdoing within the company.
The arrest warrant is connected to alleged offences committed by Rewcastle-Brown under Section 124B and 124I of the Penal Code.
Section 124 deals with the offence of assaulting a member of Parliament, State Legislature, or State Executive Council with the intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power.
Section 124B carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, while Section 124I carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail.
In a statement quoted by Malaysiakini, the PDRM said it would also move to apply for Rewcastle-Brown, a UK citizen, to be placed under the Aseanapol wanted list as well as the Interpol red list.
Sarawak Report has been at the forefront of media exposés uncovering alleged criminality within Finance Ministry-owned 1MDB, with allegations that USD1.83 billion (RM6.9 billion) of its funds were stolen by Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, and top executives from 1MDB joint venture partners PetroSaudi.
The whistleblower site has since had its access by Malaysian netizens blocked by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
