Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir told a press conference that Umno must “stop and abolish the despicable and disgusting acts of bribery and corruption.”

“This includes the political corruption whereby one has to pay money to his own fellow party members to be elected to various posts in Umno, including the top posts.

“If you give, it’s wrong. If you don’t, you lose. So it becomes widely accepted culture, so even leaders in top positions have to do it if not you lose,” the former Umno supreme council member said.

He cited as an example influential former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was unable to be elected as a delegate to the party general assembly after ending his 22 years as Umno president.

“Dr Mahathir has shed tears in his opening address at the general assembly, begging leaders not to buy votes. Can you imagine later he could not even win as a delegate?” Abdul Kadir said, adding he has never used money to win positions in the party.

The former information minister made headlines last month when he accused the ruling coalition of handing out RM200 to RM1,000 to win previous elections but said he personally did not use the strategy known as “bomb”.

He also repeated today that BN should “stop the ugly and primitive practice of bribing the rakyat… whether directly or indirectly, in order to win elections.”

Abdul Kadir, who was also a former culture, arts and tourism minister, told reporters today that he has been told that Umno’s disciplinary committee has been asked to investigate his comments although he has not received any formal notice.

“There is no need to investigate me because I will be sending them the full texts of the said interviews which are not edited in any way,” he said.

He said in his defence that Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak and other leaders “have gone around the country shouting we must change, otherwise we will be changed.”

“The question is what are those bad habits that need to be change of which the rakyat is so angry about?”

Abdul Kadir is now treasurer of Kulim Bandar Baharu Umno and deputy president of non-partisan pro-unity NGO Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah).

Sokong Pelaksanaan Qazaf Sebagai Mekanisme Syariah Untuk Halang Fitnah dan Politik Lucah

Hari ini, 30 Januari 2012, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim melalui barisan peguamnya akan mengemukakan hujah di Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah Kuala Lumpur. Ini bertujuan agar Mahkamah meneliti semula keputusan yang dibuat oleh Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kuala Lumpur yang telah menolak permohonan untuk mahkamah memerintahkan supaya Ketua Pendakwa Syarie mendakwa Saiful Bukhari berhubung dengan kes qazaf.

Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC) melihat pelaksanaan qazaf ini seharus dipermudahkan oleh Mahkamah, khususnya di dalam kes melibatkan Datuk Seri Anwar ini. Mahkamah Syariah mempunyai kapasiti yang jelas untuk membenarkan Saiful Bukhari dibicarakan melalui prosiding Mahkamah Syariah dan didakwa di atas tuduhan palsu yang beliau kemukakan pada tahun 2008.

Keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur pada 9 Januari 2012 jelas membuktikan bahawa tuduhan tersebut adalah tidak berasas, malah berniat jahat.

Pelaksanaan qazaf ini, secara jelas berpotensi menutup ruang fitnah daripada dilakukan secara berleluasa, malah ia juga dapat mengekang budaya menggunakan pertuduhan palsu melibatkan jenayah seksual sebagai satu alat politik untuk memusnahkan kredibiliti mana-mana pihak.

AIC melihat pembunuhan karakter ke atas Datuk Seri Anwar sudah menjadi semakin parah. Sekiranya pelaksanaan qazaf ini diperlekeh dan ditolak oleh Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah, ianya bukan sekadar satu ketidakadilan kepada Datuk Seri Anwar, malah secara tidak langsung menafikan prospek perundangan syariah yang jelas menjulang pembelaan hak-hak dan maruah mana-mana individu daripada difitnah sewenang-wenangnya.

Adalah sangat mendukacitakan, di saat Malaysia disebut-sebut sebagai Negara Islam Contoh oleh pemimpin negara, budaya fitnah dan penggunaan politik lucah semakin berleluasa di Malaysia sehingga ke satu tahap yang membimbangkan. Lebih memburukkan keadaan apabila ianya dijadikan satu senjata politik dan seolah tidak terhalang dan kebal daripada undang-undang.

Justeru harapan besar rakyat Malaysia amnya dan umat Islam yang prihatin khususnya, agar pelaksanaan qazaf ini dapat direalisasikan. Ayuh bersama tolak budaya fitnah dan politik lucah demi kemaslahatan rakyat dan negara, demi menjulang politik baru yang lebih matang dan segar.

Saifuddin Shafi Muhamad
Setiausaha
Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC)

Peguam Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini bertindak keluar daripada Mahkamah Rayuan Syariah Kuala Lumpur susulan tidak berpuas hati dengan keputusan Hakim Datuk Zohdi Toha menyatakan kebenaran tidak diperlukan kepada menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan dua lagi, untuk mendengar permohonan mereka mengetepikan rayuan Anwar berhubung kes qazaf.

Peguam Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzzaman (kiri) berkata tidak dapat menerima keputusan kerana berpendapat hakim perlu mendengar permohonan kebenaran terlebih dahulu dan memutuskannya sebelum mendengar hujah daripada peguam menteri sebelum mengetepi rayuan tersebut.

Beliau bersama-sama tiga lagi peguam, mengemaskan fail-fail mereka selepas tiga hakim mahkamah rayuan memutuskan demikian dan terus keluar daripada mahkamah bersama-sama Presiden PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan penyokongnya.

“Kami tidak boleh sertai (prosiding), ia terang-terang satu penyalahgunaan kuasa oleh pihak pemohon.

“Jadi kami terpaksa untuk keluar. Kami akan mengambil tindakan susulan iaitu menyemak keputusan kehakiman,” kata Kamar Ainiah kepada pemberita di luar mahkamah.

Selain Kamar Ainiah, Anwar diwakili oleh Dorina Abdullah, Dr Mohd Rafie Shafie dan Mohamad Burok.

Manakala pemohon diwakili oleh tiga peguam iaitu Roslizam Rahim, Abdul Halim Bahari dan Mohd Ridzuan Ramli.

Prime Minister Najib Razak seems to have made a U-turn in his position on the much lauded acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim from the sodomy charge.

When the totally unexpected acquittal was stunningly announced on January 9, Najib together with senior Umno leaders were quick to bask in the compliments that poured in from around the world for finally having done justice to Anwar despite the preceding perverted process that was seen as plain political persecution.

Najib, in particular, seemed proud of this High Court verdict, citing it as proof of the transformation that he had brought to the country. In an interview published by the influential Wall Street Journal on January 13, he told interviewer James Hookway that this verdict “underscores the depth of the reform process”. Najib said he was serious about the political reforms — to the extent of risking his chance of winning in the election.

Najib also expressed relief that the Anwar issue was finally over, and that the nation could henceforth tackle more serious issues such as the economy. He said:

“What is important now is that we move forward”.

There is no mistaking from this conversation that the prime minister was seizing this much approved ending to the trial as a positive development that would propel his reform agenda. In fact, he even told Hookway that through these changes he hoped to open up a new chapter with the US as “a partner in promoting democratic politics and free trade across Asia and the Islamic Middle East.”

U-TURN HAS DAMAGED NAJIB

With these words still ringing in the ears, it therefore came as a shock that the Attorney-General filed a notice of appeal against the Anwar acquittal on January 20. Even more shocking was Najib’s complete dissociation with this appeal the next day. The New Straits Times quoted him as saying that the appeal was something strictly between the complainant and the Attorney-General, and has nothing to do with his government and Barisan Nasional (BN).

Extending this Najib rationale, it must follow that High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah’s decision to acquit and discharge Anwar should have even less to do with him, BN and the government. Then on what basis was Najib claiming that judge Zabidin’s decision was proof of the extensive political reforms that he claimed he had carried out for the country?

Isn’t it obvious that when Najib claimed the verdict as proof of his reforms, he was in fact telling the world that a) he had undue control over the investigative and judicial process, b) he realised it was wrong for exerting such control for illegitimate political purposes, and c) he had agreed to cease such interference as a step towards restoration of democracy and rule of law?

In fact the whole world knew as much that it was political persecution right from the very beginning of Anwar’s ordeal 3½ years ago, when he was savagely arrested and subsequently charged without an iota of evidence, save the complainant’s obviously dishonest claim. Otherwise, why should the whole world be shocked by the verdict?

If the police had been fair and prosecutor and judge had conducted themselves above board, shouldn’t the world have expected rather than shocked by the verdict?

It is high time that Najib and his colleagues moved out from their self-induced delusion that the people do not know. It is for their own good that do not misjudge the extent of the people’s awareness of the truth in this Internet age of instant information.

If there is any message that we can read from this latest move to appeal against Anwar’s acquittal, it is that this appeal is proving for the umpteenth time that Najib’s words are not to be trusted; and it also shows up once again that his so-called political reform is more an illusion than reality.

A-G FISHING IN MUDDY WATER

Now, let us turn to the Attorney-General who seems to me to be trying to fish in muddy water in submitting the notice of appeal. Let me explain.

On the day that the A-G’s Chambers submitted the notice of appeal on January 20, national news agency Bernama released a bulletin at 1936hrs, quoting an unnamed official in the A-G’s Chambers as saying that “the trial judge was required under the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 to provide a written judgment to enable either the prosecution or the defence to file the notice of appeal within 14 days”. Bernama then quoted the unnamed official:

“After perusing the written judgment, they will decide whether to file the petition of the appeal.”

However, two hours later, another Bernama news bulletin released at 2151hrs reported the A-G’s Chambers making a different statement. Bernama stated:

“The Attorney-General’s Chambers said today that the decision to file an appeal against the High Court’s decision to acquit and discharge opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was based on evidence and the law.

“It said that in making any decision, the department acts solely on the evidence and in accordance with the law, not influenced by any emotion or parties.”

Bernama further quoted the A-G’s Chambers’ statement as saying:

“The decision to file this notice of appeal will enable this department to obtain the full written judgment of the learned judge and the record of the proceedings from the High Court; and accordingly will be able to appreciate the grounds considered by the learned judge in arriving at that decision.”

It is obvious that the A-G’s Chambers realised the mistake in the first statement for having only mentioned its decision to appeal as being dependent on the content of the written judgment, without the ritualistic recital of “fact and law” as its basis. The second statement was to make up for these deficits.

Even with this supplementary statement to add “fact and law” as its rationale for appealing, the A-G’s Chambers continued to emphasise that what motivated the filing of notice was to avail itself of the chance to peruse the written judgment.

There is the unmistakable impression that the A-G would await the written judgment before making the final decision to appeal.

That begs the question: shouldn’t the A-G’s Chambers have a stand of its own, being the party which initiated the charge and laboriously built up the prosecution case? It should be more knowledgeable than anybody else on the strength and weaknesses of its evidence, and there is no reason why it cannot decide whether the verdict is fair or unfair without the full written judgment, unless of course it is waiting for an opportunity to pounce on any possible technical flaw in the written judgment.

PROSECUTION CASE TERMINALLY FLAWED

The judge has made it clear that he was discharging Anwar because there was evidence of tampering in the only corroborating evidence of the trial — the DNA.

And he was fully justified to make that remark, as it was scientifically impossible for any sperm to have survived more than 100 hours for DNA identification under tropical room temperature as in the Anwar case, as rightly pointed out by the Australian DNA expert Dr Brian McDonald.

Does the A-G agree or disagree with this view?

If he answers in the negative, can he name one authority that would support his opinion?

If he answers in the positive, can he tell us why he is appealing?

And what “fact and law” he was talking about when the DNA evidence had already been exposed as fake?

Is it not obvious that by filing the notice of appeal, the A-G was in fact reserving his right to appeal in the hope that he might later find some technical loophole in the written judgment to knock out the verdict, hence the repeated emphasis on these documents as essential for its decision-making?

Does such unprincipled conduct that disregards justice befit the chief legal adviser to the King and the Cabinet, sworn to uphold the Constitution? Or is such conduct more reflecting that of someone who is faithfully continuing the undertaking to eliminate the chief rival of his political master?

The answer is self-evident from the earlier proceedings and now from the latest move to appeal against the acquittal.

TRAGEDY FOR UMNO

It is indeed a tragedy for Najib and Umno that just as Justice Zabidin’s judgment has opened up a small window of opportunity for Najib to make a baby step in his bumbling attempt to bring some reforms, that window is quickly shut with this opportunistic attempt to appeal.

Worse, it has now proven beyond reasonable doubt that Umno is beyond salvation.

And that is fatal for Umno, in the present ambience of people power sweeping away entrenched corrupt regimes — a tidal wave of change that has transformed the Middle East, swept across the region, and now already landed on Malaysian shores.

International response is starting to filter in on news that Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government has decided to appeal the acquittal of political arch rival Anwar, the Opposition Leader, who was found “not guilty” by a High Court judge last week.

Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of the Asia Division, Human Rights Watch was among the early bird to condemn the Najib administration for its latest flip-flop.

“The trial court gave the government a chance to bow out gracefully from Anwar’s politically motivated prosecution. It’s very unfortunate that they didn’t take it. This decision means the citizens of Malaysia will be further subjected to the more political machinations in the courtroom as the government perpetuates this travesty of a trial for a crime that should not be a crime in the first place,” Phil said in a statement.

Persecution, not prosecution

Meanwhile, Anwar’s lawyer Sankara Nair said he has yet to be notified of the decision. He slammed the move as an obvious case of “political persecution” and not prosecution.

“I have not been formally notified by the prosecution. However if it is true, then it is most regrettable and atrocious- given that the trial judge has stated succinctly, in his verdict that the crucial evidence was “tampered”,” said Sankara.

“Hence the substratum of the prosecutions case is fatally demolished,rendering any appeal, no matter how many times, an desperate act in futility. It appears to be a case of political persecution of Anwar and not prosecution.”

As for Anwar himself, he has said it was the Attorney-General’s right to appeal but warned that there should be no government or political interference. However, most Malaysians would tell him that this may be beyond the manipulative Umno, Najib’s party which has ruled Malaysia for the past 5 decades.

Judge conceded key DNA evidence was compromised

Malaysian prosecutors had filed the appeal papers at the High Court criminal registry at 4.30pm on Friday, January 20, according to criminal deputy registrar Halilah Suboh.

On Jan 9, Anwar was acquitted on a charge of sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan due to a lack of corroborative evidence. Judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah delivered his decision to a packed courtroom, as more than 10,000 supporters gathered outside the court building to show their support for the charismatic and popular leader.

“After going through the evidence, I cannot be 100 percent certain that the evidence could have been compromised. Hence, the court is reluctant to convict on such corrobaration of evidence from SP1 Saiful. The court does not exclude the possibility the (DNA) samples were compromised. Therefore the accused is acquitted,” Mohd Zabidin told a stunned courtroom, that took a second before it burst into euphoria and loud cheering.

Najib’s weak leadership and global attention

The decision was praised throughout the world and Najib’s latest inability to stay the course, giving in to hardliners in his Umno party such as former premier Mahathir Mohamad, is bound to increase the negative impression of Malaysia that has furthered worsened during his watch. The move will also underscore Najib’s weak hand on the government as well as his inability to provide political stability and jump-start the already slowing economy.

“Anwar, I have just heard the news of the acquittal. Congratulations. There was never any doubt of your innocence. That it is confirmed for the world to see is a wonderful thing. We are all so very happy for you and for Malaysia,” wrote Paul Martin, the former prime minister of Canada.

Indeed, there is more than meets the eye in the sodomy charges pressed against Anwar, who has blamed Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor of hatching the plot together with complainant Saiful Bukhari Azlan so as to derail his political comeback. Given the flimsiness of the evidence, experts never expected Najib to take the case to the trial stage, but he succumbed to pressure from the Umno right wing, especially Mahathir, who still harbors a deep hatred for Anwar.

Pundits say Mahathir is also concerned that Anwar, his former deputy and who nearly toppled him in 1998, knows too much of his past wheeling-and-dealing. If not imprisoned, chances are high Anwar will become the next prime minister of Malaysia, leading the Pakatan Rakyat opposition to victory in general elections that must be held by April 2013.

Fair and impartial, says Saiful

Anwar was charged on Aug 8, 2008 under Section 377B of the Penal Code with committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature. He was accused of sodomising Saiful at the Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, on June 26, 2008. If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to 20 years.

Meanwhile, in an immediate response, Saiful said the appeal shows that the Malaysian legal system was fair and impartial.

“My family and I would like to state that with the filing of the notice of appeal, my right to complaint as stated in my 2008 police report has been heard, and (went) through the proper process of justice all the way to the High Court. In accordance with the law (it) has been achieved,” he said in a blog posting.

The A-G’s chambers has been a willing tool in the hands of UMNO in its vicious, immoral and relentless persecution of Anwar Ibrahim. Since 1998, the A-G’s chambers has been a key player in UMNO’s attempts to imprison Anwar and terminate his political career. The current Attorney- General Abdul Gani Patail who made the decision to file this appeal, featured prominently in the first sodomy trial which ended in Anwar’s 6 years imprisonment for a crime he did not commit.

The A-G’s chambers’ excuse that they needed to file the appeal in order to ‘appreciate the grounds considered by the learned judge in arriving at that decision’ is simply absurd and untenable. The chambers must weigh the necessity of appeal based on the totality of the evidence presented at the trial and the flaws and shortcomings of the prosecution case. As clearly demonstrated by his counsel at trial, the case against Anwar is so full of holes that there is no necessity to even look at the judge’s grounds of judgement.

The filing of this appeal is an outrageous example of the unscrupulous abuse of State powers which has become the trademark of the Barisan Nasional coalition over the past 54 years of its corrupt and authoritarian rule. This appeal is further evidence that Najib’s promises of change and reform were nothing more than a massive and hypocritical fraud upon the people of this nation. The motive for the appeal is to jail Anwar and hinder Pakatan Rakyat from winning Federal power in the coming general election. Come what may, Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat will never falter or fail in the ongoing battle for change and reform, and for a fair and just Malaysia.

Issued by,
N SURENDRAN
VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN

By MARK MACKINNON

Anwar Ibrahim was supposed to be in jail right now. The leader of Malaysia’s opposition would be convicted of having sex with a male aide, everyone here expected, and jailed long enough to ensure he posed no threat in the country’s coming elections.

But after his surprise acquittal earlier this month, Mr. Anwar suddenly has a very different residence in mind. “The next time we meet,” he says conspiratorially as we sit in his party’s headquarters on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur for his first interview with a Western newspaper since the verdict, “it will be in a different office.”

A smile spreads above his greying goatee as he points up and beyond me. He means Putrajaya, the suburb of Kuala Lumpur that’s home to the office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Southeast Asia begins 2012 as a region in upheaval. Myanmar’s generals have begun unexpectedly tearing down their authoritarian system, and neighbouring Thailand’s coup-prone army stood aside last year and let the opposition it had previously confronted in the streets take power via the ballot box.

Mr. Anwar is convinced that Malaysia, a nominally democratic nation that has been dominated by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) since the country gained independence from Britain in 1957, will be the next to see sweeping change.

“There’s definitely a Southeast Asian Spring taking place. No question about it. … We are between the ancien régime and the rebellion of the masses,” says the man sometimes portrayed as the Nelson Mandela of this Muslim majority state. Mr. Anwar says the opposition would win a fairly held vote – and he warns that Malaysia could see scenes like those in Cairo’s Tahrir Square if it is somehow prevented from taking power.

Tens of thousands of Malaysians have already shown their willingness to demonstrate, marching through the streets of Kuala Lumpur last July to call for reforms to the country’s electoral system, which is seen as having been gerrymandered in the ruling party’s favour

“We want free and fair elections,” Mr. Anwar says. And if not? “Then we will fight. The people will not take it. No civilized country would accept the rape of the nation.”

Having managed to maintain and build support through 14 years of sodomy charges and other smears – no small feat in a conservative country that bleeps out words like “bang” from reruns of How I Met Your Mother – there’s suddenly a sense in Malaysia that Mr. Anwar might just end up in Putrajaya before the year is out.

Another jail term would likely have brought an end to the political career of the 64-year-old, who was deputy prime minister and UMNO’s heir apparent until he fell out with the autocratic Mahathir Mohammed in 1998 over the handling of that year’s Asian financial crisis. The relationship between the two men, long described as being similar to father and son, quickly dissolved into acrimony, mud-slinging and violence.

Mr. Mahathir called for police to investigate allegations that Mr. Anwar was corrupt and gay. Mr. Anwar was duly arrested, beaten by police and sentenced to 14 years in prison, although that sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004. (Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, though the colonial-era statute seems to be used almost exclusively against Mr. Anwar, a married father of six. Charges against Mr. Anwar – who has denied that he’s gay – and his associates account for four of seven recent uses of the law.)

Ketua Umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mencadangkan supaya undang-undang yang didakwanya digunakan untuk mengaibkan seseorang, dipinda termasuk peruntukan dalam seksyen 377 (B) dan 377 (C) Kanun Keseksaan.

Katanya, pindaan tersebut perlu dibuat bagi memastikan supaya ianya tidak digunakan untuk menghina seseorang khususnya terhadap musuh dalam politik.

“Memang undang-undang yang ada, (seperti) 377 (B), 377 (C) digunakan untuk mengaibkan orang, digunakan untuk musuk politik,” dakwanya.

“Orang bertanya kenapa tidak meminda undang-undang yang ada. Ya, saya akan pinda… supaya memastikan (ianya) tidak bermaksud  untuk menghina orang,” katanya yang juga ketua pembangkang.

Anwar turut menempelak pihak tertentu yang mempertahankan undang-undang yang didakwanya “jumud” digunakan untuk memfitnah seseorang.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapannya malam tadi bagi mengulas kontroversi wawancaranya dengan rangkaian penyiaran British (BBC) yang dilaporkan minggu lalu sehingga beliau dituduh menyokong homoseksual.

Rangkaian itu meminta Anwar menyatakan pendirian sama ada beliau bersedia memperjuangkan ‘idea anti-diskriminasi’ terhadap kumpulan itu dan menegaskan masyarakat Islam dan bukan Islam di Malaysia secara keseluruhannya percaya dan komited menyokong kesucian perkahwinan antara lelaki dan wanita.

“Tetapi kami tidak harus dilihat sebagai menyusahkan dan menganggap undang-undang lapuk sebagai relevan,” kata Anwar dalam temubual dengan BBC itu.

Bercakap di majlis kesyukuran sempenan pembebasannya daripada tuduhan liwat pada 9 Januari lalu, Anwar menegaskan kenyataannya bahawa Islam dan bukan Islam menyokong perkahwinan lelaki dan perempuan menjawab perbuatan seks bebas, homoseksual dan lesbian.

Anwar yang juga bekas presiden Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) berkata, umat Islam tidak boleh menghukum seseorang melakukan “perselingkuhan” kecuali ianya dilakukannya di hadapan umum.

“Orang berkata, itu kalau di tempat persendirian? Kamu tahu mana?… Bukan mengendap atau merobek privasi orang, tidak boleh,” tegasnya di hadapan tetamu yang hadir di kediamannya di Segambut Dalam, malam tadi.

Selain beberapa pemimpin PKR, turut hadir di majlis itu ialah bekas menteri kabinet, Tan Sri Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, yang turut serta bersolat maghrib, solat hajat, solat Isyak serta majlis bacaan Yassin sebagai tanda kesyukuran di atas pembebasan Anwar daripada tuduhan tersebut.

Mengimbau kisah pada hari keputusan liwat II diumumkan, Anwar yang juga ahli parlimen Permatang Pauh sempat bersarapan bersama-sama ahli keluarganya selepas bersolat subuh.

Bahkan, beliau juga sempat memeluk dan mencium ahli keluarganya kerana berkemungkinan beliau mungkin tidak balik sekiranya didapati bersalah, walaupun jauh di sudut hatinya, beliau merasa akan dilepaskan.

“Paling tidak, mungkin dibenarkan diikat jamin. Tetapi berlaku sebaliknya. Jika bersalah, mungkin riuh dalam negara dan menjadi fokus di luar negara.

“(Tetapi) saya lepas. Saya tidak tahu (sebabnya). Mungkin hakim tahu, sebab (penghakiman) dibaca cepat, beliau keluar pun cepat, tak sempat (saya) nak angkat tangan,” katanya diiringi dengan gelak ketawa hadirin.

“Yang saya pasti, the power of prayer. (Kuasa doa) ini adalah luar daripada pertimbangan politik,” katanya sambil memaklumkan masyarakat tempatan dan antarabangsa turut mendoakan agar beliau dibebaskan.

Katanya, dengan keputusan itu juga menyebabkan media arus perdana “meroyan macam orang gila” dengan mencari apa-apa sahaja” untuk menyerangnya, bahkan ada pihak yang terkejut dan kesal dengan pembebasan beliau itu.

Dalam kesempatan itu juga, Anwar turut menceritakan pengalaman beliau bersama isterinya Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail bertemu dengan cucu bekas perdana menteri India, Rajmohan Gandhi, yang mana temujanji itu telah lama diatur sebelum keputusan liwat II ditetapkan.

Katanya, Rajmohan memperuntukkan masa selama lima jam berbincang dengan Anwar secara peribadi, berhubung usaha memartabatkan perjuangan demokrasi.

Menurutnya dalam perjalanan menuju kediaman Rajmohan yang terletak di atas bukit di Panchgani – yang memakan masa selama lima jam dari Mumbai – Anwar singgah minum sejenis air teh yang menyebabkan beliau teringat akan kelazatannya.

Anwar juga berkata selepas berada di India, beliau bertolak ke Turki untuk memenuhi undangan bertemu dengan Perdana Menteri Raceb Tayyib Erdogan.

Bagaimanapun beliau terpaksa menangguh untuk bertemu Presiden Turki Abdullah Gul kerana terpaksa pulang ke tanah air bagi menghadiri Konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat di Alor Setar, Kedah.

Dalam ucapannya selama 45 minit itu juga, Anwar turut memberitahu bahawa beliau menerima banyak ucapan tahniah melalui emel, SMS dan panggilan telefon daripada pelbagai pihak berhubung keputusan tersebut.

Antaranya bekas naib presiden Amerika Syarikat Al-Gore, bekas perdana menteri Kanada Paul Martin dan ulama tersohor Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi dan Dr Wahbah Al-Zuhaili.

Sebelum itu, orang ramai termasuk penyokong memenuhi halaman rumahnya bagi menghadiri majlis kenduri kesyukuran sempena pembebasan beliau daripada tuduhan liwat II.

Sebanyak empat khemah besar dipasang di halaman rumah tokoh pemimpin PKR itu dan dihamparkan tikar bagi membolehkan hadirin yang hadir duduk bersolat dan duduk mendengar tazkirah ringkas yang disampaikan ketua penerangan PKR Dr Mohd Nor Manuty.