Clare Rewcastle Brown, the editor of Sarawak Report, revealed that she had been informed by British authorities about Interpol's rejection of a Red Notice application for her, indicating that Malaysian law enforcement's attempts to secure her arrest on charges related to her reporting on 1MDB had been unsuccessful.
A Red Notice is an international request for law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition or legal action.
During an online forum titled "The Pursuit Of Truth: An Insight Into Exposing Corruption," Rewcastle Brown shared her relief at the news, humorously quoting a message from a Malaysian senior minister that indicated their inability to apprehend her unless she was within Malaysian borders.
However, she expressed concern about the implications for journalists striving to hold powerful governments accountable in Malaysia, suggesting that such limitations hinder journalistic endeavors.
The revelation came after reports by the BBC stating that Malaysian authorities had twice sought Interpol Red Notices for Rewcastle Brown in connection with her reporting on 1MDB, both of which were rejected by Interpol.
The disclosure took place during a panel discussion organized at the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, emphasizing the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in Malaysia in their efforts to expose corruption and hold those in power accountable.
Despite her relief regarding the Interpol Red Notice, Rewcastle Brown's legal troubles persist. Last month, a Terengganu court sentenced her in absentia to two years in jail for alleged defamation of Sultanah Nur Zahirah in her book "The Sarawak Report – The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose.
" However, Rewcastle Brown stated that she was unaware of the criminal defamation case until an arrest warrant was issued against her in September 2021, which subsequently lapsed in May of the following year. She emphasized that neither she nor her lawyers were informed of any court hearings, and she had never been formally charged in relation to the case.
Reflecting on her situation, Rewcastle Brown wryly commented that Malaysian authorities might attempt to list her on Interpol's Red Notice for the third time, highlighting the ongoing legal challenges she faces due to her investigative journalism work on corruption issues in Malaysia.
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