Malaysia itself, not the opposition leader, is in the dock


Anwar’s Second Sodomy Trial | The Wall Street Journal
Malaysia itself, not the opposition leader, is in the dock.

More than a decade after he was beaten, tried and jailed, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will once again face a Kuala Lumpur court today on charges of sodomy. The accusations are highly dubious and raise a serious question: Is this moderate Muslim democracy becoming a nation with no real rule of law?

The circumstances surrounding Mr. Anwar’s prosecution are suspiciously familiar to most Malaysians. In 1998, he was arrested as he was mounting serious arguments against the increasingly erratic government of United Malays National Organization chief Mahathir Mohamed. On a nearby page, Mr. Anwar’s former aide Munawar Anees describes being tortured and forced to confess to sodomy, a criminal offense in Malaysia. Mr. Anwar was convicted of sodomy and abuse of power and served six years in jail before the sodomy ruling was overturned in 2004. He was allowed to run for political office again in 2008, which he did, in earnest.

Mr. Anwar was arrested again in July 2008, a day after participating in his first nationally televised debate in more than a decade—an event that showcased his political skills and highlighted the growing momentum behind his three-party opposition coalition. He was accused of sodomy with a 23-year-old former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Mr. Saiful was taken into protective police custody after he made his allegation and has since rarely been seen in public. The government denies any political motivation for the charges. Mr. Saiful himself has not been charged.

As in 1998, the evidence in this case is thin at best. The police made a show of arresting Mr. Anwar, put him in jail for a night, and forced him to undergo a humiliating medical “examination.” The government then passed a bill in parliament to give the police expanded powers to collect DNA in criminal cases. Mr. Anwar’s lawyers claim they have a hospital report that shows no sodomy occurred.

Also troubling is the public involvement of Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was deputy leader at the time of Mr. Anwar’s 2008 arrest—and the man most politically threatened by Mr. Anwar’s popularity. Mr. Najib acknowledged that he was photographed with and spoke to Mr. Saiful after he was allegedly sodomized and before he went to the hospital for tests. Mr. Najib says he didn’t influence Mr. Saiful’s decision to press charges. Mr. Saiful couldn’t be reached for comment.

This story would sound familiar in a tinpot dictatorship. But Malaysia isn’t one. Along with Indonesia, it forms the backbone of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Its citizens today have far more access to news and information through the Internet than they did 12 years ago. They also have the power to vote.

And that may be the mechanism that keeps Malaysia free and honest. Ordinary citizens—including the majority ethnic Malays—increasingly support Mr. Anwar’s secular platform of religious tolerance, economic liberty and modernization. The opposition won five of 13 states in national elections in 2008, and it has since won seven of nine by-elections. Mr. Anwar was re-elected to parliament in a by-election the month after his arrest in 2008. There will likely be protests in front of the courthouse to show support for him.

The trial that begins today threatens domestic political unrest and undermines confidence, at home and around the world, in Malaysia’s rule of law.

**************************************

The Price I Paid for Malaysian ‘Justice’
The last time Anwar Ibrahim was put on trial, I was tortured and forced to ‘confess’ to sodomy.
By MUNAWAR A. ANEES | The Wall Street Journal

Nearly 12 years ago, I was languishing in a local hospital as a prisoner of conscience. This loss of freedom was due solely to my long-standing personal and professional association with Anwar Ibrahim, then Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Malaysia. We were falsely implicated in a fabricated case of having committed a mutual act of sodomy.

Such an internment, when driven by ulterior motives, brings a brutal deprivation upon the victim. It acts like a double-edged sword. While one’s freedom of movement is taken away by tormentors, one’s conscience suffocates in a dungeon. A poignant grief sets in once there is awareness that both the body and the conscience have fallen victim to the act of tyranny. That is what distinguishes incarceration out of an actual crime from that emanating from the acts of those who prosecute and persecute innocent others. The tormented memory never fades.

My detention by the Malaysian Special Branch taught me how it feels to be forcibly separated from one’s wife and children. How it feels to be searched and seized, disallowed to make phone calls, handcuffed, blindfolded, stripped naked, driven in an animal cage, shaven bald, endlessly interrogated, humiliated, drugged, deprived of sleep, physically abused. What it’s like to be threatened, blackmailed, hectored by police lawyers, brutalized to make a totally false confession, hospitalized for a consequent heart ailment, and treated as a psychiatric patient with symptoms of Stockholm syndrome. Barely surviving on a meager diet of rancid rice and chicken along with 12 medicines a day, I spent nearly 126 days handcuffed round the clock to my hospital bed, under the watchful eyes of the prison guards.

These tragic events completely ruined me and my family. The financial, physical, psychological and social implications of this calamity reverberate even more than a decade after the horrific occurrence. Words fail to describe what my family and I have quietly endured for the last 10 years. In spite of that, our faith in the ultimate victory of justice and truth has not wavered.

For the last 12 years, I have sought nothing but justice. I have repeatedly approached the Malaysian judicial system—the High Court, the Court of Appeals and the Federal Court—in the hope that justice would be duly provided to me. Unfortunately, my latest request for a review at the Federal Court was dismissed. Why does the judicial system shudder at the prospect of hearing my demand for justice? Why am I denied my day in court?

I am innocent. I am innocent of any and all spurious charges brought against me. I committed no crime for which I was tortured and unjustly imprisoned. I want the Malaysian judicial system to wake up to the fact that gross injustice was committed against me. I want them to realize that the injustice is perpetuated the more I continue to be denied my day in the court. My innocence inspires me to persist and persevere in the path of justice, as it is one of the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution of Malaysia. The judicial system in Malaysia must rise to the call of duty and serve justice without any further delay.

Mr. Anees is a writer based in Tucson, Ariz.

  1. #1 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 6:02 pm

    MUNAWAR was done in by MMK, Musa, GP, n A Paul
    Get ready 4 more sexy juicy details fr full of sai n all sex terms
    Frontal attack, back side entry, ouch, ouch ….
    After the trial, everyone in 1M’sia will b a sexpert in four languages

  2. #2 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 6:03 pm

    The fact of the matter is Najib is stupid for letting this trial to go on. NO ONE BELIEVES OUR COURT IS INDEPENDENT..Face the fact, most of us by now believes that trials involving politicians/politics here are just charades.

    If Anwar is found guilty, the battle cry after this will be First Altantuya, now Anwar, tomorrow it will be YOU…

  3. #3 by Loh on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 6:40 pm

    ///Feb 2, 10 5:41PMBREAKING NEWS “There were specimen retrieved from the victim’s anus. This will prove that penetration indeed took place,” said the lead prosecutor.///– Malaysiakini

    The first doctor who examined Saiful did not find evidence of penetration, that might include evidence of what was left behind. If there were semen, even introduced through syringe, the Burmese doctor who was the first to examine Saiful would have noticed it. He said no evidence.

    If they found semen on second examination, it must have been introduced on the same day between the two examinations. Semen can be transported in more ways other than sodomy. So unless it was witnessed by a third party, it is one’s word against another. Why should the court waste taxpayers money?

    Is the court going to parade mattress again this time?

  4. #4 by monsterball on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 6:48 pm

    Malaysians are fully aware how much humiliations…unjustifiable sufferings..tortures Anwar went through….on this low class sodomy charges.
    We admire his guts and will stand by him……for he has tasted the worst of the dirtiest politics …one can concoct it.
    Just compare Mahathir and Anwar…personalities and reputations….you can know who is the real crook.

  5. #5 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 7:09 pm

    Anwar’s second sodomy trial will nullify Najib’s effort to woo foreign investors to Malaysia.

    If Malaysians do not trust that their court is independent, how can foreign investors be convinced they will get a fair hearing through the Malaysian court on matters relating to industrial disputes, pollution, violation of waste disposal act and whatnot.

    Smart foreign investors will certainly shy away from Malaysia.

  6. #6 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 7:44 pm

    Cute little sperm swimming in anus n feces of ful of sai
    Whose sperm r u, cutie sperm? All sperm look alike, no?
    1M’sia truly famous bcos of sperm, rod in lobang, n sod me sod u
    Got or no got mattress, kondom, demonstration n simulation this time

  7. #7 by chengho on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 8:17 pm

    let’s monitor the hearing tomorrow ; at least Anwar sodomy court case a good diversion for Leg in Penang .

  8. #8 by mauriyaII on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 9:08 pm

    Did the evil, stupid and mad-hatter pseudo Malay aka Mamak realize how many innocent people and their families and friends would be affected by his concocted lies just to get rid off a political foe?

    Is he aware of the sufferings of the victims such as those who were made to confess under duress to a sodomy that never took place?

    To the mamak the means may justifty the end but to all right thinking people the means must be legal, fair, without prejudice and above all morally right.

    What would the mamak do if any of his sons are dragged into a sodomy charge and brutalised by the government of the day just to show their power?

    Najib for all his 1Malaysia propaganda could not disregard the advice of his mentor to charge Anwar with a 2nd sodomy sandiwara.

    Is this what the corrupted mamak and Najib want the future generation of leaders to fall back to when they are against an astute and popular political opponent who is liked and trusted by the rakyat?

    How long can the judiciary stay as subservient minions to a corrupted and power crazy regime?

    The 2nd sodomy trial of Anwar where pro-prosecution evidences are fabricated and real evidences are subdued, expunged and made irrelavant would show to the rakyat and the whole world the death of all democratic institutions in this once fair country.

  9. #9 by wanderer on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 9:59 pm

    Absolutely!!!…not only Malaysians are watching, the whole world is watching. This is a day, I felt ashamed to be a Malaysian..ashamed we still have low beings as administrators of the country…
    Let us confront these evil men in our midst and send them to TIMBAKTU… (including chengho, if you
    are not careful!)

  10. #10 by raven77 on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 10:01 pm

    We have become a pariah nation. All of us have to do even more to save this country….tough days ahead…

  11. #11 by raven77 on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 10:02 pm

    We have become international outcasts.. All of us have to do even more to save this country….tough days ahead…

  12. #12 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 11:43 pm

    1M’sia truly incredible, cooking up sodo mee not once but twice, truly yummy
    An Islamic nation in which d whole cabinet is truly fascinated by d hole at d back
    Can ppl visualise a 60 yr old man mounting n poking a struggling young stud full of sai
    If d young strong guy did not struggle but all ready 2 b poked, willing, waiting n wanting
    Shouldn’t d full of sai b charged 4 willingly participating in sodo mee, do re mi

  13. #13 by tenaciousB on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 - 11:48 pm

    Be patient, There is God who is watching those who bear false witness and persecute the innocent. Therefore these wicked men who continue to commit these treacherous acts shall succumb to the wrath of God.

  14. #14 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 12:35 am

    Malaysia’s Anwar denounces sodomy trial as ‘corrupt’

    But for the current prime minister, Najib Razzak, putting him on trial is a politically risky strategy. – Roger Hardy, BBC Islamic affairs analyst.

    Listen to Anwar’s verbal conversation with the BBC reporter.

    @@http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8492590.stm

  15. #15 by ablastine on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 1:21 am

    Statutory declaration of Munawar Ahmad Anees:

    http://www.c2o.org/malaysia/democracy/reports/981203_stat_dec_munawar_01.htm

    I must say that after reading through his Statutory declaration, I can find cause to sympathise even with Saiful. Also it grief the nation no end to know that Teoh, Altantuya and all those who perished under police brutality, Special Branch exploits and ISA have to go through such horrifying and horrendus torture before their demise. The nation must stand up against this.

  16. #16 by moko on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 1:24 am

    “Sinful” details on how Anwar mount him will be the only conclusive evidence, not the semen nor the DNA.

  17. #17 by Onlooker Politics on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 3:52 am

    I really have compassion on Munawar A. Anees, as I was also an ISA detainee who was detained about the same period of time as Munawar’s being kept under the ISA detention. I was also stripped naked. Several Special Branch officers watched and observed my buttock for about 15 minutes before I was sent to the dark room of solitary confinement. I really didn’t understand why the Special Branch male officers were showing interest at my buttock, for I know it is short of the sexy appeal even to the female. Perhaps the Special Branch officers had been conditioned to believe that majority Malaysians liked to engage in the sexual intercourse of sodomy, which is a crime punishable for 20 years jail term if found guilty in court.

    Surprisingly, this kind of judicial injustice and police abuse of power happen so frequently in Malaysia. With this injustice, some people may put blame on the dirty politics. However, I never joined politics and was never a political activitist even right to the day when I was detained under the ISA. I was turned to be a regular political commentator only after Pak Lah had become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. This was because I was having the perception in my personal judgement that Pak Lah would not be as cunning as or as dirty as Dr Mahathir.

    I wonder whether Najib will be a perfect disciple of the cunningness and dirtyness of Dr. Mahathir.

  18. #18 by johnnypok on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 4:09 am

    Thousands of pondans are selling their back-side everyday and everywhere in the “Land of Sodomy”. Most of them are muslims. Yet the so-called “relegious polis” take no action. The world must be laughing at us, especially at TDM, the father of corruption and architect for sodomy.

  19. #19 by monsterball on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 7:29 am

    This is UMNO BARU.
    The original idea was Mahathir’s.
    Najib is the biggest liar….no brain and a copycat PM Under him….UMNO can be seem clearly struggling to trusted.
    Why need to struggle…create fear..race and religion provocations and use sickening tactic to kill off an opponent or enemy in politics?
    All these are done by Najib….right after 12th GE..and on goiung ….why so…if UMNO is so good?
    After 54 years…still need to promote with slogans?
    Those are the very clear signs UMNO BARU is such an unfair and unjust….undemocratic party .
    The main reason to fight for their lives….to stay away from jail sentences..if they loose13th GE.
    Do not ever dream they are fighting for Malaysians..against any evil government..taking over. It is always UMNO and nothing else.
    That “1Malaysia” is a nonsensical slogan.
    It cannot be that they are such possible.. poor losers?
    It must be massive corruptions…that once the ball start rolling….UMNO BARU is finished as a party……like MIC and MCA.
    UMNO is saying a person commits sodomy cannot be PM.
    They judge…decides everything and everybody….without any regards for people’s opinions….all against UMNO nonsense against Anwar.
    They have no choice. Anwar must be out of politics and in jail.
    UMNO is showing to the whole world….how low they can go in politics..to stay in politics.
    They mock Allah……OK.
    They steal from Malaysians…..OK
    They are greedy…such hypocrites and liars with false titles…..OK.
    They rape and kill…..OK.
    All these hurts the country..people and economy…OK.
    But a Sodomiser must not be a PM in Malaysia????
    WOW!!,, Is it not Malaysia…..is such a truthful…clean…noble Islamic Nation.
    What a joke…what sickening hypocrites…and how low can UMNO BARU go……all can see?
    Intelligent and educated young Malaysian voters…will not fall into UMNO’s traps…like before.
    Just watch the comedy play and wait for 13th GE.
    With or without Anwar…UMNO will be voted our…by a clear string majority…..if Najib dares o have 13th GE.

  20. #20 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 8:14 am

    Another big mistake is in the brewing here.

    Unlike the first time (stained mattress), the second time around will rely on chemist report of semen specimens being found on the victim’s anus to prove penetration occurred (see Malaysiakini’s report, Feb 2). Indeed DNA Act was earlier pushed through to facilitate this. DNA is to the 21st century what fingerprinting was to the 20th – so it is thought that this “scientific evidence“ based on DNA will be “compelling evidence” beyond all reasonable doubt that sodomy took place!

    This line of thinking, whilst clever, is not quite clever enough. In a highly publicized trial of an opposition head perceived victimized and put in jeopardy twice by same charge, compelling scientific evidence as would suffice in normal cases will not suffice in this one. There is another aspect: the surrounding circumstances should not provide a shadow of a doubt that the prosecution is politically motivated! Here there are two basic anomalous facts that will be used against the prosecution’s position:

    1. Pusrawi Hospital report by Dr Mohd Osman Abdul Hamid indicating no sign of penetration. This has high evidential value being first medical examination. For people assume subsequent ones, done with afterthought, could accomodate elements of premeditated fabrication…….. But here even in a subsequent medical examination at a government hospital, there is suggestion that three doctors, in their official report, have stated that there were no “no conclusive clinical findings suggestive of penetration to the anus…” again reinforcing the conclusions of Dr. Osman. Complaints that “some of the writing of the Pusrawi doctor’s report cannot be comprehended because of “illegibility” are hardly convincing, for doctors handwriting are noted for their sometimes illegible scrawl but that does not mean overall what he says cannot be understood! What more Pusrawi’s Dr Mohd Osman also said that authorities tried to make him change his report but that he stood by medical report that there was no incidence of sodomy, and he has also made a statutory declaration to this effect. Dr Mohd Osman also noted that “The patient (Saiful) told the doctor he had been assaulted by a person with the introduction of a (piece of) plastic into the anus.” Now this “plastic”, presumably a dildo, must be very sophisticated to squirt sperm at the psychologically appropriate moment to produce the necessary DNA evidence!

    2. Saiful having met the PM two days before he lodged a report.

    One must understand that in a court trial like this, guilt or innocence does not involve just convincing the judges but also the whole domestic and international audience, especially those supporting Opposition. Lets not talk about the truth of what actually happened, thats something (besides God) only the walls of Bukit Damansara condominium could testify independently if they had eyes and could speak! Whats important is perception, especially public perception already stacked in favour of Anwar for being victimised to answer the same charge of sodomy twice. Its an atmosphere where people (depending on where they stand politically) will believe or disbelieve what they like depending on bias.

    Here’s where I say compelling scientific DNA evidence, whilst good enough for run of the mill cases, is insufficient to convince the already skeptical public without the other equally important aspect – ie. the surrounding circumstances that should not provide even a shadow of a doubt that either the prosecution is politically motivated or the evidence fabricated. Here the surrounding circumstances in 1. and 2. point the opposite way from guilt towards political motivation/fabrication, which makes the prosecution’s tasks of convincing the public otherwise exceedingly difficult… That’s why the case has the signs of becoming the another big political mistake.

  21. #21 by k1980 on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 8:38 am

    If the mamak had been in the USA, Obama would now be in court charged with sodding his personal assistant. A very simple way to seize power

  22. #22 by Counterpoint on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 8:41 am

    PM’s aide to quit over ‘racist’ remarks -Malaysian Insider
    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/51737-pms-aide-to-quit-over-racist-remark

    I wonder if this is the same aide which Saifool had met and would be able to positively link Najib to Saifool?

    So convenient?

  23. #23 by dagen on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 8:54 am

    So the evidence of anwar’s illegal act was found inside saiful’s anus. But there were no signs of penetration, according to a burmese doctor. Hah, but mary got pregnant with jesus … Its possible. Its possible. Dont dismiss it. Remember. Umno is the GOD of god.

  24. #24 by k1980 on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 8:56 am

    Favourite Evergreens of :-

    Mamak the Pendatang: “My Way” ;
    Jib: “Your cheating heart.” ;
    IGP: “I’ll be watching you” ;
    Anwar Ibrahim: “Winds of change”
    Saiful Buhari: “I swear”
    KJ the SIL: “What kind of fool am I.”
    Kugan: “Jail House Rock”.
    Pak Lah: “Dream, Dream, Dream.”

  25. #25 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 9:05 am

    The problem is that a politician and a lawyer (govt prosecutor) do not necessarily see eye to eye. A politician wanting to see his rival political opponent fall, will seek legal legitimacy of a conviction based on certain facts, and he’d ask his lawyer – got case or not? And the lawyer will then say “yes yes, I am sure we have scientific evidence that will prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt in the court of law”. Now the lawyer may be correct on point of law – scientific evidence before a court of law where the accused stands on the dock! But does a politician really care about the Court of Law here??? What a politician cares is the Court of Public Opinion both international (where whole Malaysia stands on the dock) as well as domestic giving the votes (where politician stands on the dock if people were not convinced that the accused should be placed there at first instance!).

    That which satisfies the legal standard of proof in a criminal court based on the normal “beyond reasonable doubt” criterion is not the same standard of proof required in the Court of National and International Opinion here in an unsual situation of an Opposition Head!

    One cannot escape bias one way or another for we’re humans, not robots. Here people are not neutral, many on govt’s side will assume guilt whilst those on the other already skeptical if not angered about any attempt to prosecute the Opposition leader twice on same charge…. It is the latter group which is sought to be convinced here and for this the proof demanded is absolute, at least over 95% if they were to believe the prosecution’s case. There must not be any surrounding circumstances and facts casting even a shadow of doubt on the complainant Saiful’s allegations! This is something a politician must, if he were wise, take cognizance.

    The lawyer/the government’s lawyer does not appreciate as fully this dimension of the public (national & international) equation and that’s where he gives problem to the politician who is still thinking, misguidedly, that the lawyer could deliver legitimacy to a skeptical public in respect to whatever actions taken! They (politician & lawyer) may not be thinking on same wave length.

    In just looking at what would satisfy a court of law, the lawyer doing his job, has forgotten he has to actually satisfy a wider audience beyond the court of the law if his efforts were to be of any political utility to the politician.

    For that the lawyer must have more than just scientific DNA evidence. He must be able to explain away cogently the contradicting surrounding circumstances and facts. Can he?

  26. #26 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:15 am

    “DNA is to the 21st century what fingerprinting was to the 20th”
    Aiyoh, no lah, DNA oredi a powerful forensic evidence since 1985, 20th century loh
    DNA, like fingerprints, is also portable n plantable
    At d end, d main Q is: Can we TRUST d EVIDENCE, CHAIN OF CUSTODY, n PROCESS by which d results were obtained? Got or no got integrity? Subjugated bolaless system?

  27. #27 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:29 am

    Judging by what went through d first trial, where incriminating details were changed again n again to suit d whim n fancy of d prosecuting side, n where all decent legal safety bars were blatantly disregarded, what chance does AI hv? Expected lah
    Remember all d excitement on d first few days of d C4 Abdul Razak Baginda trial
    At d end, d expected outcome, ARB free 2 enjoy his millions, after hv enjoyed AS

  28. #28 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 11:02 am

    People can be fooled once but not so easily the second time.

    If Anwar is imprisoned, the chance is high that PR votes will swell in the 13th GE as the angry rakyat, feeling that they have been fooled, give their compassionate support to Anwar. That is why Roger Hardy, the BBC Islamic affairs analyst, said putting Anwar on trial is a politically risky strategy.

  29. #29 by Bunch of Suckers on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 11:10 am

    To my opinion, Anwar has the potential to the PM of all Malaysian soon or later; therefore, his opponents are scaring of him and play dirty politics by all mean to stay in powers by pinching him to jail.

    After 56 years of failures: rip-offs, cheats, greeds, murders, abuses and etc etc…, they still want to govern with dictatorship, injustice and demerits….

    My vote certainly go for PR in the coming election. Only Anwar is all Malaysia saviors!!! Those nuts and balls, governing over 56 years after independence, are hopeless and heading toward hell….

  30. #30 by Godfather on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 12:02 pm

    This is UMNO at its best. No benefit of the doubt given to the defendant if the defendant is from the Opposition. Only one party to consensual sodomy is charged when it could only be done with two parties.

    Another day at the kangaroo court.

  31. #31 by dagen on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 12:03 pm

    yhsiew, but the people werent fooled even in the first round. It is therefore very foolish, disastrous and suicidal to start round 2. How did anwar summon that sort of massive support for GE12? Ans: the fabricated first sodomy charge and his jail sentence. And those umno jokers havent learnt anything from their first mistake, have they? They are giving anwar another go. Well good for us, I say. Manufacturers often speak of prolonging the life-cycle of their products. I didnt realise that this concept could be applied to politics ala umno-punya-style. Here, umno is prolonging the life-cycle of their wrong-doings. Wrong purpose dude. Wrong purpose.

  32. #32 by Godfather on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 12:11 pm

    UMNO knows that their ace in the judiciary is their nominee at the highest position. Independence of the judiciary is not something that can be tolerated by UMNO.

  33. #33 by frankyapp on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 2:06 pm

    I hope CNBC would bring back JAY LENO to host the TO NITE SHOW WITH JAY LENO especially focusing it on the Anwar sodomy trial .Or what about TV 1,TV 2 or TV 3 hosting such comedy late nite show . I can guarantee the sponsor and the host such show would be Malaysia’s # 1 for all time.

  34. #34 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 2:28 pm

    This is how everyone should think about law and order, the constitution, not shouting about the ends justify the means..

  35. #35 by vsp on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 4:41 pm

    How many days have passed between Saiful being sodomised by Anwar and the actual swap taken by the Chemist Department? In between this period, for the semen stains to still remain in Saiful arse, it would mean that Saiful has not taken any bath, or changed his clothes or washed his arse with water after defecating for a long time. By then he would be smelling like a rotten fish and nobody would want to get near to him. Fact or fancy, it up to anybody to believe.

  36. #36 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 5:31 pm

    Prosecution says that they are relying on semen stains of the accused for DNA match.

    They say tissue samples of semen were taken from Saiful’s anus – per TheMalaysiaInsider’s report of court proceedings of Feb 3rd.

    If one does not believe that these samples actually came from Saiful, where did these samples come from and how did Prosecution get them (if they do really exist)?

  37. #37 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 6:57 pm

    ///This trial, like the first trial of Anwar Ibrahim, is a disgrace to Malaysia, a country that aspires to democratic norms, where parties change power peacefully and political opponents are not persecuted by organs of the state. Perverting the legal system for political ends by charging Anwar with sexual offences is an affront to human rights./// (Michael Danby).

    http://malaysia-today.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30004:speech-by-michael-danby-federal-member-for-melbourne-ports-and-chair-of-the-australian-parliamentary-sub-committee-on-foreign-affairs-&catid=21:special-reports&Itemid=100135

  38. #38 by alwaysfair on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:29 pm

    I am quite sure all the Allah and religious rows are orchestrated to win the Malays back to ARMNO just to protect the party from many whom might leave them because of their injustice against Anwar. The evil powers pre-planned the “Allah” rows b4 Anwar’s trial. They knew many Malays will be offended and wanted to protect their voting base at the risk of disruption of peace and racial violence.

    It is so clear that the present leaders are an evil pack of hyenas who will stop at nothing and will sacrifice everything just to satisfy their LUST for POWER. May Allah rain down curses on these wicked people and wipe them out from the face of this earth.

  39. #39 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:31 pm

    On Wed cabinet mtg, NR shld ask his ministers: Ala, anyone not indulging in sodomy, with d same or opposite sex, plz cast the first stone!

  40. #40 by alwaysfair on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:36 pm

    The Malays should not be conned again as they have been for 50 years and fight against christians on the Allah issue which is actually a non-issue, used as a tool just to distract them from the real issue which is “the unjust criminalisation of their own muslim brother Anwar Ibrahim,” who is fighting for justice for all. May Allah open the eyes of all the muslims to see the truth vs the lies.

  41. #41 by alwaysfair on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 - 10:39 pm

    Dear boh-liao,
    Let me add that after asking his ministers that, NR quickly took out the Koran and is the first to swear he never indulged in this type of dirt.

  42. #42 by johnnypok on Thursday, 4 February 2010 - 3:06 am

    Sial Fool is definitely a prstitute and selling his back-hole. He must have been paid to seduce DSAI. If so, he is guilty of more than one offence. Judging from the events and stories, there is a hidden-hand in this plot, and it could be the famous architect of sodomy again.

  43. #43 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 4 February 2010 - 6:54 am

    Out of the 195 countries of the world consensual homosexual acts between adults above 18 are decriminalised (not illegal) in about 125 countries and are illegal only in 70 (counting amongst which is Malaysia). Most developed/western countries fall under the first category.

    In China the Chinese Supreme Court ruled in 1957 that voluntary sodomy was not a criminal act . Homosexual buggery amongst consensual adults above 21 is legal according to the Hong Kong Crimes Ordinance Section 118C. In Taiwan the consent age is 18. In the case of India it was decriminalised only lately on July 2, 2009 by Delhi High Court. Sodomy was decriminalized in Thailand in 1956.

    Only developed country S’pore down South still criminalises homosexuality though there is no active prosecution. However anal sex between consenting hereosexual adults is even in this austere state legal!

    There is more than one sense when one says “Malaysia itself, not the opposition leader, is in the dock”.

    The high profile case which shows Malaysian authorities to be overzealously prosecuting sodomy reflects the backward thinking of the country!

    One may ask what is so “backward” about proscribing the playing of backside and what is so forward in legalising it.

    It is this: the habit to pass judgment by those who do the same things (“Hypocrisy”) – Comment #35 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 3 February has reference. It is “selective prosecution” – comment #16 by johnnypok on Wednesday, 3 February has reference!

    The law against sodomy is colonial relic rooted in antiquity. We condemn Colonial relics, absjure the importance of colonial language but embrace colonial antiquated law like Sodomy. Sodomy is linked to proscriptions from religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) sharing common Abrahamic roots. We embrace that same proscription but deny their common usage of word to address the Almighty.

    Hypocrisy and selective prosecution mark not just enforcement of law against sodomy but also other laws including laws against Corruption, the public protestations extolling inclusiveness, racial and religious harmony with deeds doing the opposite!

    It is these (hypocrisy/selective prosecution, persecution, discriminatory laws and practices whether regarding sodomy or corruption) that reflect our backward mindset, figuratively having our head shuffed up the anal canal/rectum!

    In this sense also Malaysia itself, not the opposition leader, is in the dock whilst we high profile internationally the prosecution of this case of a prominent Opposition leader. It tells the world of our Mindset.

  44. #44 by Bigjoe on Thursday, 4 February 2010 - 7:30 am

    This thread clearly predict where the miscalculation is on UMNO/BN part. The truth is AT BEST, what this trial will do is split the Malays. It will not win the non-Muslmis back no matter what the outcome.

    What PR now represent is so much bigger than Anwar. What most worry about is not whether Anwar is guilty or not but whether if Anwar is sent to away will PKR and hence PR survive. Too much has been build for most PR and PKR leader to just let go and not prepare for potential jailing of Anwar. At its worst, PKR will be smaller but still survive. That is enough. All PR have to do is hold on together and UMNO/BN will self-destruct due to warlord politics. UMNO/BN is now held together because they know an internal fight see the end of UMNO/BN rule. But if they keep losing ground which they are, then they will fight unlike PR which has been getting rid of people that don’t believe in the same thing.

    This is a fight of resources(BN) vs ideas (PR) and the problem is the resources of UMNO/BN is running low and PR have far from run out of ideas.

  45. #45 by dagen on Thursday, 4 February 2010 - 9:11 am

    Umno is aware that they have no answers whatsover for all the wonton corruptions in the country, for all the power abuse and misuse, the lost of talents and brains and now military equipment, the massive hike in crimes, the capital flight, the dwindling FDIs, the lost of competitiveness, the worsening standard of education, and dozens and dozens of other equally serious and crippling problems. By a stroke of mighty good luck (and nothing else) we have petroleum. Otherwise, the country could well be on par with zimbabwe now.

    Therefore they have to re-package themselves so that they still appear presentable to voters during the next election. How do they do it? By putting down pakatan. Day-in day-out the msm bombarded the public with blown-up negative news about pakatan, about their internal squabbles, and how pakatan is breaking up.

    The message they want voters to get is this: Yes umno may have a rotten record but umno is still more viable than the shaky pakatan. And to shake pakatan up further umno is putting the remote control and the trojan horses it has in penang and selangor to good use.

    We must counter this. First, msm has exaggerated the problems. Second, pakatan tolerates dissenting views a lot more than umno and hence allows such views to be voiced. This will strenghten the party and not break it up. This also serves to indicate pakatan’s style of government – transparent and open. Third, pakatan state governments despite insufficient federal funds, sabotage by umno (via remote control and trojan horses), a highly inefficient and corrupt civil service (legacy of umno) are doing well. Fourth, despite the constant and microscopic scrutiny by macc and the police for wrong-doings on the part of the pakatan state goverment, umno could not get anything more “high-profile” than the cow and car issue and the raya cakes issue and certain alleged misuse of public funds amounting to several hundred or thousand ringgit.

  46. #46 by raven77 on Friday, 5 February 2010 - 2:14 am

    UMNO Baru has lost touch with reality…..for the first time in Malaysia’s history….the military may actually work behind the scenes to get rid of this regime or risk sinking this country to anarchy…..

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