==Press Statement ==

Wikileaks

As legal counsel for Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI), we are of the view that the reporting of the story in the media in particular reference to DSAI’s ongoing criminal trial is clearly subjudice and may constitute contempt of court. Commenting on the evidence and the making and publication of statements that relate to the alleged guilt is strictly prohibited. It impinges on the integrity of the trial and the Judge is duty bound to protect the sanctity of the trial especially from non participants in the criminal justice system, in this case, the media.

We as lawyers would not take issue with political exposures but in this instance the media reports have hit at the heart of the trial and hence we are most concerned. Judges are human. More so our client is a high profile politician and the perception of the public is paramount.

It is most regrettable that the local media chose to rely on reports and publish matters that are unsubstantiated, based on hearsay and conjectures. Up to this moment, our checks with our counterparts and various sources have indicated that no such references were made by Wikileaks and more so, the specific allegations as reportedly published in the Sun Herald (Sydney Morning Herald) which is purported to have first broken the story. This has further enhanced our view that the press, in particular the New Straits Times (at page 4 of the Prime News column) and the Front page (headlines) in the Utusan Malaysia newspapers has deliberately skewed the reporting on DSAI and focused on DSAI alone and conveniently left out all the serious allegations against PM Najib and others. Clearly this two Umno-owned newspapers have explicit sinister motives and have practised irresponsible journalism.

To the allegation that “it was a set-up job and he probably knew that, but walked into it anyway” as was supposedly quoted by the media, our simple answer to that is: which man in his sane and right mind would deliberately walk into a trap if he has prior knowledge of it. It is a totally illogical and completely nonsensical notion. At this point, it is material to note that at that time DSAI was riding high on the back of an unprecedented electoral gain. Note that DSAI was already aware of something sinister when alluded to it in a Malaysiakini interview he gave on 3 July 2008 (copy of the same is attached) where he replied to a question posed: “Weeks before that, I was alerted that the IGP (Inspector-General of police, Musa Hassan) was concocting something, and that was five days or six days before someone came to convey to me that this was serious. Well, this was conveyed to me and I thought how they would allow the issues of ’98 to resurface”.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85544

De facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim today revealed that the threat on his life was serious enough for someone to give him a bullet-proof vest.

While he denied that he wore the bullet-proof vest at the 10,000-strong rally in Kampung Baru on April 14, Anwar said his wife, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail ticked him off for not taking such threats more seriously.

“Azizah is, of course, very annoyed with me. She said, ‘Please take precautions.’ I promised her, yes, I will do it probably at public functions when necessary,” he told Malaysiakini in a 30-minute interview this morning at the PKR headquarters.

He however pointed out that even a bullet-proof car failed to stop the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

“I go through every single detail, it is the nature of the job, for example, … in minute detail even the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, you’ll be surprised – not as a journalist – just to see how they could do it. Look, she was in a bullet-proof vest, bullet-proof car. So…”

Anwar said that given his experience a decade ago when he was savagely beaten after he was arrested, there is legitimate fear that it could happen again.

“I went through it, I know what it is. If you were to arrested today, for example, I’m not saying that nothing would happen, I wouldn’t know. To me, it almost impossible, it’s incredulous to imagine that…”

When asked what he thought of the assurance of his personal safety given by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, this was what Anwar had to say.

“Well, the prime minister is a nice man, he says many things but I don’t know who will take him seriously. Look he says, “Well, we will give them protection.” I know Saiful has been given police protection 24 hours a day. Did you see any of them here? Not that I want police around me.”

Tell us what happened from the time you heard about the police report made by Saiful to the time you came out from the Turkish embassy.

Weeks before that I was alerted that the IGP (inspector-general of police Musa Hassan) was concocting something, and that was five days or six days before someone came to convey to me that this was serious. Well, this was conveyed to me and I thought how they would allow the issues of ’98 to resurface.

At that time, did you have any inkling that it could be something similar to the accusations…

Yes, yes. They said it was something to the effect. The information of this very senior (police officer) used the word zalim – the fact that it was cruel and unjust, that’s why it was conveyed to me.

The following morning I called my staff – the senior staff and also part-time volunteers including Saiful – they were all in. I said, “You guys better watch out. There is going to be problems ahead. This is coming from IGP’s office, the IGP personally.”

Interestingly enough, later one of my staff informed me that Saiful personally called Musa Hassan to inform him (that I spoke about problems ahead) about the meeting. Then I took it seriously, but it was a bit too late.

Saiful at that time was still working with you?

Yes, yes. It is really, as you say, a breach of security. The three main staff – Nik Nazmi (Nik Ahmad), Sim (Tze Tzin) and Nurul Izzah (Anwar) – left to contest in the elections. Rahimi (Osman) was holding the fort. And of course Syed Husin (Ali) in the office, Ibrahim (Yaacob) and Din Merican.

The first to go around to contact the states and divisions, that was Rahimi. Then he brought in Saiful at the last moment as a volunteer. Saiful approached me, although he was known to be in Biro Tatanegara (civic consciousness bureau) and an Umno outfit before that.

I didn’t know, he actually started off as a driver, bringing even (former Anwar political secretary) Nasharuddin (Jalil)’s son (Salman) who was killed in a (hit and run) road accident – that’s still questionable until now. The case is closed. I want to reopen the case – the circumstances of the ‘murder’ or the death is still very questionable.

So later on, Rahimi was using Saiful a bit more, there were two of them. Then I had Sim to come back and we had another person, Farhash (Wafa Salvador) who just came back from London but because of the transition – that was it.

But I didn’t know about his (Saiful’s) connection. Because there were so many emails from his old friends attacking him, I called him in, “What’s this?”. He said, “Sir, swear to God, it was my connection with Najib’s outfit when I was in Uniten (Universiti Tenaga Nasional) and then some of them became my personal friends”. I said, “Okay”. We actually take things a bit easy.

But anyway, that night I was in Quality (Hotel), I heard about it early enough I think it was a leak from the police not from the hospital. You see it could all be orchestrated by the police but always when you see Musa is consulted, he’ll say Bukit Aman does not want to get involved and they will not want to take the police report. This all shows the sign that the police are not part of it. It’s a deliberate design to say the police are not involved.

Anyway, when we got the wind of it, it was almost Maghrib (7.30pm). Almost Maghrib time or before Maghrib time if I’m not mistaken. Very soon. Immediately after when he (Saiful) was on the way to the hospital.

So you suspected that Saiful had gone to the police station and the police brought him to the hospital.

Yes, that seems to be sequence now. But we have to get the correct defence in the event this moves forward. I don’t understand how they are going to do it – trying to establish what happened, what didn’t happen. How can they concoct (the alleged sodomy) with all this media scrutiny. Unlike in the past, there is certainly a little more (scrutiny).

So I sense now there is a deliberate attempt on the part of government leaders to say, “Well, just leave it to the police, it’s nothing political.” Our worry is also leaving it to the police.

Now today, I’m calling a press conference on something very revealing in the Altantuya case which shows the same pattern of the IGP and AG (attorney-general) either fabricating or concealing evidence. So you see the same pattern from 1998 to Altantuya case to my case and of course, of hundreds if not thousands of cases.

Even here in this case, the moment Najib’s name is mentioned – delete. In this case for Altantuya, I will show you clear evidence how evidence given to the police, all these things were deleted even in the 112 statement (sworn witness statements to the police).

We will leave that to the press conference.

Then I alerted the whole (party) leadership, Azizah and the whole family were here, the Quality Inn or Quality Hotel, then this Chong said, “You may have to leave” (for some place safe). I was very reluctant so I kept on ignoring it, talking about some other subjects.

Then they started, (Syed) Husin decided to convene a separate political bureau meeting to come out with a strong recommendation. I told Syed Husin, “Let me think about it. People may interpret it as running away or seeking political asylum.” Then of course, we started communicating with the relevant parties.

And Azizah said, “What will happen if they come in?”

So you were worried about the 1998 situation where you were arrested straight away.

Arrested is something else. I’m not as worried about being arrested as being assaulted, and you know, accident or food, poison – I don’t rule (them) out because we know what is at stake – you see, we come out with the whole transition (to new government), the numbers we are talking about, so some of them are just really against it, the fear.

Can you imagine the position of the IGP and AG – I know the bitterness, the worry, it’s there. Although I did convey, I did actually deliberately send out messages even to them – and say “Look, I’m here in this country, take care”. Many of them know me well. Don’t continue provoking us.

So I decided then the morning after prayers that I will go now.

Early in the morning?

Very early in the morning. The security guys have experience in this. I have said no right through until 6 o’clock, then I left. Very smart… [laughs]

So I left and went straight (to the Turkish embassy). The ambassador was there waiting. I went in. I had breakfast and then I went to sleep.

Did you sleep that night?

No, about half an hour, an hour, because they were all there coming back and forth – the legal team, the security, issues. Because I didn’t know what it was all about, in detail, where, and things like that.

At the embassy, the ambassador was called up by (Foreign Minister) Rais (Yatim) and given very strong assurance for my personal safety. There was (Home Minister Syed) Hamid (Albar)’s statement, (Deputy Prime Minister) Najib (Razak)’s statement, although Najib’s statement said ‘leave it to the police’, so it’s a bit tricky. Anyone who said leave it to Musa Hassan, I think there is a big question mark.

But then, that was it. The moment we’ve all the statements, making explicit about my personal security then I told the ambassador, I think I’d leave.

I don’t feel comfortable (staying in the embassy) because a lot of things you’re not able to do. Unless you decide to seek political asylum, that’s normal. If you don’t, you have to be with your people, you have to plan, listen to them, you have to start meeting people. Were you convinced by party leaders to go to the embassy or was that your own decision?

Of course, I do take into consideration what Azizah and the family say. She is okay with the whole political situation. To deal with the malicious attacks, she is quite used to it. But to imagine another major assault on my personal safety, I saw her (face), it was very real.

She said, pleading, “Anwar, please, it is something beyond us.” The security situation is beyond us.

It is so serious that even people brought me in the last few months, a bullet-proof vest. Where you wearing one on April 14 (the Kampung Baru rally)?

(more…)

1) 14 Disember 2010 ( Selasa) – Wilayah Persekutuan

Masa – 9.00 – 12.00 malam

Lokasi – Ceramah Perdana
Tapak Pasar Malam Taman Melati,
Wangsa Maju, Wilayah Persekutuan

Penceramah:

i) YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
ii) YB Khalid Samad
iii) YB Teresa Kok
iv) YBhg Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin
v) YBhg Dato’ Dr Tan Kee Kwong
vi) YBhg Ibrahim Yaacob

— (more…)

KEADILAN memandang serius cubaan memanipulasikan maklumat yang didedahkan oleh Wikileaks mengenai komen-komen bekas Perdana Menteri Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew and agensi perisikan negara tersebut berkenaan fitnah sodomi yang dilemparkan terhadap Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Pertamanya, rakyat perlu faham kaedah operasi dan fungsi Wikileaks untuk menilai sama ada komen-komen tersebut boleh diterimapakai. Wikileaks adalah sebuah laman yang memberi ruang kepada orang ramai menghantar maklumat-maklumat sulit yang dirahsiakan dari pengetahuan orang ramai. Orang ramai bebas menghantar apa-apa jenis maklumat pun, jadi ada maklumat yang datangnya dari kajian terperinci, ada juga hanyalah rakaman perbualan di antara ahli-ahli diplomat. Maklumat yang didedahkan kali ini dan dipetik akhbar hanyalah catatan komen-komen peribadi yang dibuat oleh ahli diplomat Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew and agensi perisikan negara itu.

Laporan The Sydney Morning Herald ditulis berdasarkan catatan pendapat peribadi ahli diplomat Singapura mengenai jiran serantau di dalam ASEAN, Jepun, China dan India. Ia adalah pendapat peribadi mereka, bukannya fakta.

Untuk memahami dengan lebih dekat bahawa catatan tersebut adalah pendapat peribadi mereka yang disensasikan, rakyat perlu juga meneliti secara keseluruhan maklumat-maklumat lain yang turut didedahkan olehWikileaks yang terkandung di dalam kabel yang sama merakamkan pandangan peribadi pegawai-pegawai diplomatik Singapura:

Bilahari Kausikan
Menurut satu kabel yang merakamkan satu mesyuarat pada September 2008, En Kausikan memberitahu Timbalan Setiausaha Pertahanan AS David Sedney bahawa “ada kemungkinan besar berlakunya konflik perkauman di Malaysia” yang akan menyebabkan orang Cina “meninggalkan” Malaysia dan “menyusahkan” Singapura.

Mengenai kepimpinan Barisan Nasional pula, kata beliau: “Masalah utama Malaysia adalah tiadanya pemimpin yang berwibawa. Najib Razak perlu menang dalam pertarungan politik untuk mengelakkan didakwa”, secara jelas mengaitkan Perdana Menteri dengan skandal pembunuhan perempuan Mongolia Altantuya Sharibu. Dia mengulangi pendapatnya bahawa “Najib Razak terancam disebabkan kes pembunuhan itu”.

Dia juga memanggil bekas Perdana Menteri Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra seorang yang mengamalkan “rasuah”, “sama seperti yang lain termasuklah pembangkang di Thailand”. Ujarnya dalam kabel itu lagi, Thaksin “membuat kesilapan berbuat baik dengan Putera Mahkota Thailand apabila Thaksin membayar hutang judi putera itu”. Katanya , putera itu “tidak keruan dan sangat mudah dipengaruhi”.

Komen-komen yang lain termasuklah kenyataan beliau “lebih selesa dengan Korea Utara sebagai kuasa nuklear berbanding jika Iran mempunyai senjata nuklear”. Beliau juga mengkritik Russia, yang menurutnya “berekonomi dunia ketiga dan sistem kesihatan Russia pula kucar-kacir”.

Peter Ho
Dalam Mac 2008, En Ho mengutuk mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Mahathir Mohamad kerana “membaling batu” kepada penggantinya, Tun Abdullah Badawi. Komennya terhadap Ketua Pemuda Umno, YB Khairy Jamaluddin adalah lebih kasar.

Menurutnya, “Khairy Jamaludin akan ditikam di dalam Umno kerana tiada orang yang sukakannya (Khairy) kerana Khairy naik dalam politik akibat pertalian keluarga”.

Seperti juga rakan sekerjanya, En Ho mengulangi tuduhan yang mengaitkan Perdana Menteri dengan pembunuhan Altantuya Sharibu. Katanya, “Najib adalah seorang yang suka mengambil kesempatan. Walaupun setakat ini dia masih belum mengkritik Singapura, dia tidak teragak-agak sekiranya tindakan itu menguntungkannya. Masa depan politik Najib akan terus dihantui oleh skandal pembunuhan (Altantuya)”.

En Tommy Koh
Seorang lagi diplomat kanan Singapura yang dipetik oleh kabel yang didedahkan oleh Wikileaks itu mengkritik negara-negara lain yang ada pengaruh di rantau ini, dalam catatan mesyuarat dalam bulan September 2009.

Dia menggelarkan Jepun sebagai “orang gemuk yang kalah dan merajuk” apabila membandingkan hubungan China dan ASEAN yang makin rancak. Dia juga menyalahkan keadaan itu kepada “kepimpinan Jepun yang bodoh, lemah dan tidak ada wawasan”.

Pandangannya terhadap India juga buruk, melalui gambarannya bahawa “kawan India yang bodoh dan teragak-agak untuk berkecimpung dengan ASEAN”.

Justeru, kabel sulit yang mengandungi pandangan peribadi Lee Kuan Yew dan perisikan Singapura mengenai fitnah terhadap YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim perlu dilihat di dalam konteks yang sama dan sebetulnya, iaitu komen-komen peribadi yang menghina semua pihak di Malaysia tanpa mengira parti dan latar belakang.

KEADILAN mengulangi pendirian parti bahawa pandangan-pandangan tersebut, walaupun terkandung di dalam kabel sulit diplomatik yang dibocorkan oleh Wikileaks, adalah pandangan peribadi individu-individu tersebut yang tidak disokong oleh fakta. Untuk berlaku adil kepada semua pihak, komen-komen itu perlu dianggap sebagai cakap-cakap kosong dan pendapat peribadi mereka.

Jika tidak, Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak sendiri yang perlu berhempas pulas menjawab dakwaan demi dakwaan yang terkandung di dalam kabel sulit yang sama; yang mengaitkan beliau dengan pembunuhan Altantuya Sharibu.

Akhirnya, kita kena kembali kepada perkara pokok yang meruntun negara dan rakyat iaitu integriti sistem kehakiman yang dinodai sehingga menidakkan keadilan. Ini dapat diselesaikan dengan mudah sekiranya Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim diberikan ruang sepenuhnya membela diri tanpa manipulasi atau campur tangan politik; agar beliau mendapat perbicaraan yang adil dan telus.

Fitnah terhadap beliau dan keluarga telah mengheret seluruh negara ini diselubungi igauan sejak tahun 1998 lagi. Igauan tersebut boleh dihentikan sekiranya integriti dan kredibiliti institusi kehakiman dipulihkan.

Makanya, KEADILAN akan mengalu-alukan mana-mana maklumat (sulit atau tidak) dari mana-mana pihak yang boleh menegakkan kebenaran, asalkan maklumat itu adalah tepat dan berasaskan fakta. Malangnya, komen-komen yang terkandung di dalam kabel sulit yang dibocorkan itu tidak lebih dari maki hamun terhadap semua perkara yang bukan Singapura, bertepatan dengan rekod hubungan diplomatik yang dingin di antara Malaysia dan Singapura.

====

(more…)

Pendedahan Wikileaks bahawa fitnah liwat terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim merupakan satu rekayasa Polis Cawangan Khas Malaysia tidak boleh dipandang enteng dan mengesahkan kenyataan bahawa ianya adalah satu konspirasi peringkat tertinggi.

Lebih memeranjatkan menurut pendedahan Wikileaks, pimpinan tertinggi Singapura dan agensi perisikan negara itu sengaja serta dengan bersahaja mengiyakan fitnah tersebut kepada agensi perisikan Australia; Office of National Assessment (ONA). (more…)

Pendedahan WikiLeaks yang dipetik oleh akhbar Australia, The Sun Herald membuktikan bahawa fitnah liwat terhadap Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim merupakan usaha jahat Cawangan Khas Polis Malaysia untuk menjatuhkan kredibiliti serta karier politik Anwar.

Menurut laporan tersebut, pimpinan tertinggi Singapura dan agensi perisikan negara itu dengan sengaja mengiyakan dan memanjangkan fitnah ke atas Anwar kepada agensi perisikan Australia, Office of National Assessment (ONA).

Sumber dhaif dan palsu yang dirujuk oleh agensi perisikan Singapura bersandarkan maklumat daripada Cawangan Khas Polis Malaysia membuktikan bahawa UMNO begitu terdesak melakukan apa sahaja untuk menghalang kebangkitan rakyat.

Namun begitu, petikan laporan tersebut menunjukkan bahawa Office of National Assessment Australia (ONA) yakin bahawa tuduhan terhadap Anwar merupakan satu perangkap sekaligus menolak kenyataan jahat pimpinan tertinggi serta agensi perisikan Singapura.

Pandangan ini adalah hasil daripada pantauan secara dekat oleh peguam senior Australia, Mark Terence Trowell QC serta kenyataan Senator Nick Xenophon, Ahli Parlimen Benas Australia Selatan yang mewakili 61 Senator Australia mempertikai prosedur perbicaraan kes fitnah terhadap Anwar yang jelas melanggar prinsip prinsip asas keadilan.

Kita sedar bahawa agensi perisikan Singapura dan Cawangan Khas Polis Malaysia sudah bekerjasama sekian lama, tetapi kerjasama tersebut tidak menumpukan kepada keselamatan serantau tetapi menjurus untuk keuntungan politik kedua pimpinan tersebut.

Pimpinan Singapura termasuk Menteri Mentor Lee Kuan Yew tidak dapat menerima kepimpinan Anwar Ibrahim dan tidak mahu melihat Pakatan Rakyat menguasai Putrajaya kerana ianya akan menjejaskan kedudukan mereka di rantau ini.

Mereka lebih rela pimpinan UMNO-BN memerintah negara kerana pimpinan korup ini dengan mudah melutut kepada segala tuntutan Singapura.

Fitnah tidak akan bertukar menjadi kebenaran walau diulang hatta dalam media cetak atau elektronik.

KEADILAN dan Pakatan Rakyat yakin dengan kematangan rakyat untuk mempertimbangkan perkara yang benar dan yang bathil.

MOHAMED AZMIN ALI
12 Disember 2010