By Yusmadi Yusoff

AUG 7 — We have been incessantly reminded by government leaders that we should abide by the law. That, in order for justice to prevail, we should uphold the rule of law. The Prime Minister again reminded us that we should be fair and that the law must allow a complainant to seek legitimate redress.

The Prime Minister cautioned the public to “remember” that there is a valid complaint by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be entertained. That it was, after all, done in accordance with the dictates of the law.

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By Eddin Khoo

I know I am uncharacteristically efficient posting things out on this list, but given these murky times in contemporary Malaysia, I will plead this indulgence, “among friends…”

Anwar was released on bail today.

The original report against him which claimed sexual assault appears to have been ammended, and he was charged with consensual anal intercourse instead (yes, that is the lexicon of the day in oh-so-sanctimonious Malaysia of Islam Hadhari). His alleged ‘willing’ partner, however, as of now, appears to be free of such a charge.

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7 Ogos 2008, 9:30 am, Kompleks Mahkamah Jalan Duta, KL

Majlis Pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat telah mengadakan mesyuarat khas malam tadi pada 6 Ogos 2008. Kami mencapai kata sepakat mengenai keputusan-keputusan berikut:

a) Kami menganggap kes terhadap Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai kezaliman politik. Dalam kes ini bukan sahaja Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang dibicarakan, tetapi seluruh negara sedang dibicarakan.

b) Seandainya Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim tidak dibenarkan diikat jamin atau ditahan pada hari ini, maka Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, Presiden PKR akan bertindak sebagai penyelaras Majlis Pimpinan ini.

c) Kami bersetuju sepenuhnya dengan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai calon Pakatan Rakyat dan kami akan membentuk jentera bersama untuk memberikan beliau sokongan penuh.

d) Kami bersetuju bahawa manakala Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim berjaya memasuki Parlimen, beliau akan dipilih sebagai Ketua Pembangkang bermula 27 Ogos 2008.

YBhg Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Presiden keADILan)
YB Dato’ Hj Husam Musa (Naib Presiden PAS)
YB Lim Guan Eng (Setiausaha Agung DAP)

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Mary E. Kissel
7 August 2008
The Wall Street Journal Asia

Malaysia’s Election Commission set a date yesterday for a parliamentary by-election which opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is contesting. Also yesterday, the police summoned him to court to face charges in a highly questionable sodomy case.

It’s hard to believe that the convergence of these events is a coincidence. Mr. Anwar’s three-party coalition claims it has enough support to topple the current government, should Mr. Anwar win the Aug. 26 by-election. Fully 66% of 1,030 Malaysians surveyed nationwide last month by an independent polling company agreed that the sodomy charge was “a politically motivated action to disrupt Anwar Ibrahim’s political career.” In a smaller poll conducted this weekend by the same company, 72% of Malays — which traditionally support the ruling United Malays National Organization — said they didn’t believe the allegations were true.

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New York, August 7, 2008

The Malaysian government should immediately withdraw politically motivated charges against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Human Rights Watch said today. Police served Anwar, who is running for office, with an order to appear in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on August 7, 2008, under a colonial-era law that criminalizes homosexual conduct.

But several instances of misconduct around the investigation into allegations that Anwar had sexual relations with a male former aide show the charges are aimed at preventing Anwar from leading a new government. Police handled the inquiry improperly, while government officials interfered in it and
tried to publicly intimidate and embarrass Anwar. On August 26, Anwar is due to run in a by-election for the constituency vacated on July 31 by his wife, Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. On August 6, police ordered him to appear in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to face charges under section 377 of Malaysia’s criminal code, which criminalizes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature.”

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Sekitar jam 10 pagi hari Khamis, 7 Ogos 2008, saya akan ke Mahkamah Majistret Jalan Duta untuk mendengar pertuduhan ke atas jenayah yang tidak saya lakukan. Sebagaimana yang saya tegaskan di dalam kenyataan semalam, penjenayah sebenar yang terdiri dari apparatchik pemerintah berusaha untuk memalukan diri serta keluarga saya, dan sudah tentu matlamat utamanya, adalah untuk menggagalkan aspirasi rakyat.

Adakah sebegini miskin penjenayah-penjenayah ini? Tidakkah mereka merasai getaran perubahan ini? Ianya adalah tuntutan hasrat hati rakyat seluruhnya yang mahu institusi kenegaraan dipulihkan, kemakmuran dikecapi dan martabat negara kembali dijulang. Perubahan yang kita tuntut tidak pernah menjadi agenda milik peribadi. Ianya milik semua.

Propaganda dan plot yang direncana oleh elit pemerintah terutamanya di kalangan yang dekat dengan Perdana Menteri sememangnya tidak bertanggungjawab. Kerakusan serta ketamakan mereka kepada kuasa, membuatkan mereka sanggup untuk menodai institusi-institusi kenegaraan dan demokrasi di negara ini. Ini membuktikan mereka sedang menghadapi krisis moral dan keyakinan.

Mampukah mereka menahan Perubahan? Saya yakin tidak! Perubahan mesti terus mara. Biar Permatang Pauh menjadi saksi bahawa kita pasti mampu mencipta Malaysia yang adil, makmur dan aman.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Tarikh: 7hb. Ogos 2008 (Khamis)
Program Lawatan DSAI ke Negeri Selangor

Masa Aturacara

10.30pm ~ 11.30 pm DSAI berucap di Ceramah Perdana di Taman Medan Petaling Jaya
(Tempat Ceramah) Jalan PJS 4/19, Taman Medan off Jalan Klang Lama
Petaling Jaya
Penceramah:
1)YB Haniza Talha
2)YB Hee Loy Sian
3)YB Sivarasa
4)YB Azmin Ali
5)Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Untuk Dihubungi:
Puan. Lateefah Koya
Tel: 012-3842972

Malaysia: Charges against Ibrahim politically motivated

Sodomy charges against Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim may be an attempt to stop him from running for election to parliament, Amnesty International said today.
“Ten years ago the government used a similar charge of sodomy against Anwar Ibrahim and kept him in jail for six years, the conviction was ultimately overturned,” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director.
“In 1998, Amnesty International considered Anwar Ibrahim a prisoner of conscience. Today, there are again indications that the government is not playing by the rules in this case.”

A male aide, Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, had filed a complaint stating that Anwar Ibrahim had forcibly sodomized him. On 28 July the medical examination report of Azlan by a doctor at a private hospital was leaked to the press. The report indicated that he had not been sodomized. However the doctor advised him to go to a government hospital for a second examination,
which he reportedly did later that day. The whereabouts of the doctor are currently unknown.

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09:30am – Depart house

DSAICOURT1

09:50am – Arrive Jalan Duta. 100s of reporters

10:00am – Enter courtroom, Sessions Court 1

10:12am – Case called by judge S. M. Komathy Suppiah

10:22am – Pled not guilty to section 337b, asking for bail

10:24am – Asking judge to use discretion to waive bail

10:28am – 10th September is set as mention date

10:33am – Bail waived

10:38am – Personal bond set at RM20,000, without surety, need not surrender passport

10:58am – Lawyer Nair having press conference, Anwar still in court

11:26am – Anwar walks out of court room