Peter John Jaban
KUCHING: Controversial figure Peter John Jaban who used the pseudonym ‘DJ Papa Orang Utan’ over Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) has claimed that he is living in political exile in the UK.
He said he did not dare to come back home to Sarawak because of what the Home Ministry had stated recently – that he was a potential subject under the Internal Security Act.
When contacted yesterday, Peter said he was making a living as a deejay for RFS and that he reported to another controversial figure – Clare Rewcastle – who runs RFS and Sarawak Report blog. Rewcastle is the sister in-law of former British prime minister Gordon Brown.
Peter said he also feared reprisal judging from the threats he received through SMS, emails and Facebook.
He also rubbished talks that he was a ‘radio mercenary’ earning 6,000 pounds per month.
He said he did what he was doing on his own free will, and not for the material gain. He also said that he was not affiliated to any political party in Malaysia, but said that there were good and bad people in both Pakatan Rakyat (BN) and Barisan Nasional (BN).
He said he would not like to ‘attack’ the good ones in either PR or BN.
“If you care to observe carefully, I have never attacked the good people in either block,” he said without elaborating what he meant by attacking people.
He also dismissed claims that RFS was all out to run down the state government.
Peter said he was also a member of another controversial group – the Raja Petra Kamaruddin-led Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement based in London whose members have declared themselves as a third force. As a social activist, he participated in several peaceful protests in London.
“I would like to advise Malaysians to follow our style. Protest in peace, do not burn cars, shops, homes or government properties. Treat it as a picnic, bring along your guitars and sing along,” he said.
He also advised politicians not to use religious issues for political gain because the consequences would always be bad.
“Sarawak is a multi racial state. The people live in racial harmony despite the many colours,” he said when urging Sarawakians not to use religion to divide themselves.
Should people want to communicate with him they can do so through Facebook under the account of Papa Orang Utan Peter. Peter was formerly attached to the Land and Survey Department and was a Cats Radio deejay
In February this year, Chief Political Secretary to Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said RFS was all out to run down the state government but admitted there was nothing they could do to stop them from telling lies.
Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, also urged the police, Home Ministry and MCMC to take action against RFS if it breached the law or commit slander.
“The best way to counter the radio now is to educate the public by telling them not to listen to RFS programmes and be critical when analysing their news.
“There is nothing we can do to stop them (from spreading slander and lies). We just have to educate the public on what is true and what is real. On the other hand, if we do not stop them they will go all out to run down the government,” he said.