Petra survives the bad press

Raja Petra Kamarudin made his name championing the reformasi cause in cyberspace. But he has fallen out big-time with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and, more stunningly, has become quite chummy with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

RAJA Petra Kamarudin has had an image makeover. He has dumped his Che Guevara-like beard for a clean-shaven look, his long hair has been replaced with a buzz-cut – what his barber called the No. 2; No. 1 is shaved even closer to the scalp – and the pipe was nowhere in sight.