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Telegraph.co.uk, July 21 – The wife of Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, said she fears for his life after he was arrested for sodomy, an allegation the couple dismiss as a crude conspiracy
Mr Anwar recently led an opposition coalition to sweeping gains in national elections and is challenging the ruling party for power for the first time in Malaysia’s 50 year history.
He has boasted he can persuade enough government MPs to change sides to topple the regime by September.
“We’ve had warnings from many quarters who say he is so important to making a change for the future, he is at risk,” said Dr Wan Azizah Wan, Mr Anwar’s wife, who is also a politician.
“Now it is this political assassination. It doesn’t mean they will stop there,” she added.
For Mr Anwar, the sodomy case is all too familiar. In 1998 he was deputy prime minister when he fell out with Malaysia’s then ruler, Mahathir Mohamad, and was charged with sodomy and corruption. He was arrested, savagely beaten by the chief of police and jailed for six years, before being acquitted in 2004.
History repeated itself last month when a young Anwar aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, made fresh sodomy allegations. He briefly fled to the Turkish embassy, saying he feared an attempt on his life.
Mr Anwar was arrested by balaclava-clad police commandos on Wednesday, an hour before he was due to report to a police station, and released on Thursday morning. He refused to give a DNA sample.
“What is he afraid of? He can even have his own doctor present when the tests are carried out,” taunted the home minister, Syed Hamid Albar.
Mr Anwar complains that the police have refused to reveal the evidence against him, but he says he has an alibi for “every minute of the day” when the alleged assault took place. He also claims that DNA evidence was falsified during his trial 10 years ago.
In Malaysia, sodomy is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
Dr Wan Azizah has a photograph showing her husband’s accuser posing in the office of the powerful deputy prime minister, Najib Razak.
Mr Najib initially denied having ever met the young man, then changed his story. He later claimed that the university drop-out came to discuss scholarships with him. He categorically denies being involved in the sodomy allegations.
In the grand political drama playing out in Malaysia, Mr Najib and Mr Anwar are rivals to become the country’s next prime minister. A product of English public school and Nottingham University, Mr Najib has politics in his blood – both his father and uncle were prime ministers. The current premier, Abdullah Badawi, has promised to hand power to him in 2010.
But Mr Najib is also facing potentially embarrassing problems of his own.
Two of his police bodyguards and one of his closest associates are on trial for murdering a young woman who was allegedly demanding her cut on a corrupt arms deal.
Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered in 2006 and her body disposed of with military explosives. Mr Najib, who is the defence minister, denies ever meeting her or any knowledge of the killing but he continues to face fresh claims.
This week a prominent online journalist and minor royal, Prince Petra Kamarudin, was committed for trial on charges of criminal defamation for alleging Mr Najib may have been more closely linked than had been claimed. This has been denied, but Mr Anwar has done whatever he can to stoke the scandal.
“Everything is moving too fast and Anwar is gaining too much ground,” claimed Dr Wan Azizah, who is leading the opposition in parliament until her husband is able to contest a by-election.
The Daily Telegraph asked Mr Najib’s office and that of the home minister for an interview but neither was available.
By Thomas Bell in Kuala Lumpur.
Is the post of PM of Malaysia like a car, a private property, to be handed down ? Has the people no say in this ?
I NEVER believed the so called ” truths” of 1998 – nor the so-called
“truths” of now ,2008.
Any sane person will never believe the authority.
Our country, Malaysia, is sliding down the path of mayhem. The ONLY WAY to stop the slide and rot, is a CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT.
There is NO other way.
JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL !THE WRONG-DOERS WILL RECEIVE THEIR PUNISHMENT !
VENGEANCE IS MINE, SAYETH THE LORD !
FAMILY OF ANWAR, BE BRAVE AND STRONG AND HOLD YOUR HEADS HIGH !!
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Datuk Seri we support u from sarawak.
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People are getting tired of the sodomy case because there is no substance and actually no case. Thanks to DSAI’s reluctance in giving his fresh DNA. The plotters have lost grounds to bring fresh evidence against DSAI. By now the public is aware that there is a bid to rid DSAI out of the political arena.
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Salam DSAI
Continue your effort to take over the government. I’m always be your strong supporter.
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Every rational man has more confidence in Anwar Ibrahim to administer Malaysia than those in the ruling coalition.
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Assalamualaikum Dtk. Seri,
Welldone ! You are the man we are waiting for to become our Prime Minister by september 2008.
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Assalamualaikum,
Beruntungnya Ayah Anwar dapat ISTERI SOLEHAH dan MITHALI macam Datuk Sri Wan Azizah….. Datuk Sri Wan Azizah pun beruntung juga dapat Ayah Anwar…..
“Berjuanglah Wahai Perwiraku Ke titisan Darah Yang Terakhir”
Sekian, terima kasih.
- Anakmu, Anak Reformasi.
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REFORMASI!!!!!!!!
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Extracts from :
…The ‘evidence’ is ready. The semen specimen on Saiful’s underwear has been confirmed as Anwar’s. The only problem is if they allow an independent foreign expert to do an audit on the Chemistry Department’s findings, he or she might confirm that the specimen is ten years old and not dated 26 June 2008 as alleged.
NO HOLDS BARRED…….
Good exposition.
DSAI is innocence.
Police Bail should be cancelled.
Saiful should be charged for making a false Police Report.
Syariah court should convict Saiful & punished by Syariah Laws.
Syabas to all Peacemakers.
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They didn’t find this person Anwar funny, ‘cos he is capable of crushing the BN colony. So they swirled and spun this accusation of sodomy, without realising they had committed felony. They were so clumsy in spinning the story, they were left carrying the baby.
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Sudah jadi giliran bapa Saiful, En Azlan untuk mengesa DSAI supaya serahkan DNA segarny itu. Perkara ini sangat melucukan.
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ASSALAMUALAIKUM
DSAI DAN DSWAI
ORANG YANG MELAKUKAN FITNAH AKAN TERIMA BALASAN DAN DILAKNAT OLEH ALLAH.
SAMA SAMA LAH KITA BERDOA DAN BERMOHON AGAR ALLAH KABULKAN DOA KITA DAN ALLAH TUNJUKKAN KEKUASAANNYA AGAR ALLAH BALAS BALIK KOPADA SI FITNAH TU.
INSA ALLAH
WASSALAM
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To all Malaysians..
We know that Anwar is innocent to the sodomy allegation. As a good example, Raja petra.
He just tell out the truth and he get caught.. Why? Malaysia politics are in darkness side.
The government dont allow us to speak out what we think. May god bless anwar.
Hope he can be PM one day//
let us give support to Pakatan rakyat which speak out our hearts.
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Fairdinkum,
sodomy or not the dethroned former Deputy Prime Minister has got them by their balls. All the kings horses and kings men could not prevent this man Anwar Ibrahim from claiming what was rightlly his. So bn goons wrap up whatever is left of you all and just disappear and we will pardon you all, except that cradle snatcher Samy Value.
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What kind of justice can we expect out of this drama – When Anwar is denied a copy of the police report made against him, how is he suppose to defend himself. How can he be sure that the report will not be tempered with or changed if he provided all the alibi beforehand? In fact, how can he be sure there was indeed a report made against him in the first place??
The Home Affair Minister have asked “What is he afraid of?”. Well, to me that was a silly question. Given the history of police brutality and evidence fabrication that he has gone through, Anwar has all the right to doubt the police and the judiciary system. He has all the right to take precautionary steps to ensure an ‘old script’ is not played against him twice. In fact, the whole nation (even the whole world) has doubts on how things are run in these 2 very important institutions – police & judiciary.
His wife, Azizah, has all the reasonable reasons to be fearful of his husband’s wellbeing. She knows that the ruling government is now restless due to the recent developments that could see BN possibly losing their long holding grip on power. The threats are real. But Anwar has the whole nation behind him.
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The truth is, we are still with you no matter what the Berita Harian and Utusan said. Those newspapers is so pathetic. No wonder Malaysian is so backward.
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Kami dari Sarawak sokong Datuk Sri dan keluarga.
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Do our best to get our IGP and AG out. They are no longer need in our country.
Get our DPM to court and answer all the allegation on him.
PLease do the neccessary to help Raja Petra is brave and speaking out the truth.
Anwar must be free to save our country and is te best candidate as our next PM.
Why because he knows best the mistake in the present BN government.
Let the voice of Rakyat be heard and a new goverment form under Pekatan.
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Pemimpin dulu..mengeluarkan kita dari jajahan British…Bakal pemimpin DSAI akan mengeluarkan kita dari belenggu khianat bangsa sendiri…Perjuangannya sekarang lebih sukar kerana sukar mengenali musuh dikalangan wajah kita sendiri..Insya Allah Allah menolong DSAI..Demi Kemakmuran bangsa kita, agama dan MALAYSIA TERCINTA..Buktikanlah sebenarnya siapa yang memartabatkan negara…siapa pula yang penghancur bangsa..pengkhianat masyarakat. Hanya orang -orang yang celik akalnya…pintar mindanya tidak akan dibodohi UMNO..Ayuh kita bangkit hapuskan wajah-wajah hipokrit ini sebagai pemimpin bangsa kita dan kita gantikan dengan Kebenaran…ketulusan…Bumi Malaysia adalah untuk kita bersama…Pilihlah seseorang yang ADIL sifatnya.
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Assalamualaikum Dato Seri,
May Allah be with you and the truth will prevail….insyallah..
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One month before DSAI’s arrest, I had forewarned him that the BN will do anything possible to incarcerate him again because he is on the threshold of creating history by unseating the BN govt and becoming PM. Now my prediction has come true. Much to the chagrin of every decent and truth seeking Malaysians and foreigners alike, the BN govt continue to insult our intelligence by hurling all kinds of accusations and allegations against Anwar through their controlled media without any concrete substance so far. This goes to show how very low politicians can be when they sense that their powers are being threatened. Now the people are waiting anxiously for justice to be seen and done. Be strong Dato Seri Anwar, we, the people are with you. The free world knows and waits!!
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Assalamualaikum DSAI..
Saya rasa Dato Seri perlu panggil semua muslim di Malaysia untuk mengadakan satu SOLAT HAJAT BESAR-BESARAN seperti mana yang pernah diadakan di Kelantan baru-baru ini. InsyaAllah, Allah akan mampu menolong Dato Seri dan dalam keadaan genting seperti sekarang, macam-macam boleh terjadi.
Semua pemimpin BN terdesak untuk mengekalkan kuasa mereka dengan mencari pelbagai peluang, termasuk mendapatkan sokongan dari PAS atas nama menyatukan bangsa Melayu, walhal, merekalah punca Melayu hilang kepercayaan kepada pemimpin-pemimpin BN dan beralih kepada Pakatan Rakyat.
Saya yakin, sekiranya Solat Hajat besar-besaran ini diadakan, dengan kuasa Allah, kebenaran akan muncul dan manusia-manusia yang bertanduk ini mampu dijatuhkan. Asalkan kita yakin, berdoa, dan tawakal kepadaNYA semata-mata. Saya dan ramai lagi rakyat Malaysia sentiasa dibelakang Dato Seri memberikan sokongan yang diperlukan.
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I don’t know much about Politics.
But the battle is really interesting.
I think,
Everybody should know what is in my mind till today;
I always feel that Tun Mahathir is the PM
and DSAI is the TPM. And if Mahathir step down,
DSAI is the only person can be PM.
Already 10 years but I can still feel the warm.
And this time, my heart said DSAI will Win.
I fully support DSAI. May Allah bless you.
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