From Al Jazeera
Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Malaysia’s opposition alliance, has hit out at government efforts to have his trial on charges of sodomy moved to the country’s high court, saying it threatens his right to a fair trial.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday the de facto leader of the Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance), said the push to transfer his case from a lower court would likely see him facing a biased judge and was part of a political plot.
Anwar is accused of sodomising a former male aide, and could be jailed up to 20 years if convicted.
But before the trial could begin in a lower court Abdul Gani Patail, the Attorney-General (AG) or country’s top prosecutor, ordered the case to be transferred to the high court.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, protested the order when he appeared in a district court on Tuesday.
He has repeatedly rejected the allegations, which he says are part of a plot by his political opponents.
“I am concerned over the issue of fair trial,” he said at the hearing to decide if the case should be transferred.
“I find it difficult to understand why the AG is so desperate, fighting tooth and nail, to go to the High Court.”
He said the order has “raised a lot of suspicion” that the government would pick a biased judge in the high court.
Disqualified
Yusof Zainal Abiden, the prosecutor in Anwar’s trial, urged the district court to “follow the procedure” and transfer the case.
But defence lawyers have maintained that Abdul Gani should stay out of Anwar’s case because of his alleged involvement in a previous sodomy charge against Anwar in 1998, when he was sacked from the government and subsequently jailed.
“The AG should play no part, and he should not be deciding this,” Sulaiman Abdullah, Anwar’s lawyer, told the district court, adding that the order was void because it was “signed by somebody who has been disqualified”.
Anwar’s sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004, but a conviction on a separate corruption charge remains.
Malaysian law criminalises sodomy, even if the act is between consenting adults.
Anwar’s trial comes amid escalating racial and political tensions in Malaysia, with the government’s popularity rating at an all-time low following the loss of its two-third majority in parliament in the March general elections.
The opposition alliance has repeatedly said it plans to remove the present leadership by orchestrating the defection of more than 30 government MPs.
AG Patail, stay out!!! You have no right to poke your nose in DSAI’s trial!!! You are disqualified from having a hand in this trial and this country does not belong to you for you to play your dirty games! All are watching your nasty tactics and BN and UMNO will destroy itself as a result of high handedness. You must remember the rakyat are the ones who decide who rules!!!
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Di saat menghadapi kematian, si kufur mahu beriman, si penzalim mahu bertaubat, yang kedekut mahu bersedekah. Tetapi Allah tidak lagi akan menerima taubat atau suhadat mereka. Nasihat saya kepada mereka berkenaan yang masih diberi kuasa oleh Allah dan yang belum lagi sampai ke saat-saat tersebut supaya bertaubat sekarang dan tinggalkan kemaksiatan itu. Majoriti rakyat Malaysia melihatnya dan mengtahui apa yang anda lakukan. Mereka mengutuk dan mencela pelaku ini, itu belum lagi diambil kira laknat yang dibuat oleh makhluk langit (malaikat) terhadapa mereka.
Sebagai seorang muslim kita hendaklah yakin bahawa balasan Tuhan tetap akan datang ke atas semua perbuatan kita itu.
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When there are linked cases
There’ll be more solid bases
With some familiar public faces
Struggling to escape the mazes
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 081008
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Wed. 8th Oct. 2008.
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salam…. will there a change as the house reopened its session next week?S0 much of hopes …yet the agony is rising.
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Shobhan Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Ali b. talib, we are all waiting for the day. But you know, ‘Rome was not built in one day.’ We have to have patience and peserverance to complete this task.
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Dear DSAI,
You are right DSAI, absolutely correct!
I certainly can’t see anyone who is as ‘impeccable and capable’ as you are.
Any clue when is going to be your 2nd date of taking-over the present government.
You better make doubly sure is not going to be another screw-up this time around.
Just can’t wait.
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Why is Patail still the Attorney-General when he is being sued? Once a legal practitioner is sued he should vacate his public office with dignity. Malaysian lawyers should not be so dumb as to be frivolous on this matter.
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i like the best what u done is,, make it happen. make the all of corupsy not exist in this country
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Redemption is near , DSAI will prevail . All right minded malaysian’s are counting on it.
DSAI is the man to free SABAH from the clutches of BN
http://estrop.blogspot.com
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Oh Negara Ku.
From any angle of valuations of sovereign society it is religiously, morally, ethically legally, ethically [based on system fo moral belief about right and wrongaccording to the prionciple of professional conduct], both of them and those who were also part of the each team considered unqualified to represent the King and the Sultanate of this country. The case should be referred to the Majlis Raja-Raja and the Yang diPertuan Agong. We feel disgusted towards this kind of violation of norms and values of the people. Leadership by example (?)… 16-10-08.
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