Sunday June 29, 2008 MYT 12:36:46 PM

PM: BN not behind latest Anwar allegation (updated)

By V.P. SUJATA

PUTRAJAYA: The Barisan Nasional Government is not behind the latest allegation of sodomy against Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said the Prime Minister.

Stating that he was shocked on hearing the police report lodged by an aide of Anwar on Saturday night, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he would leave the police to conduct investigations on the allegations and to take the necessary action.

He said he or the Government did not instruct the police to take any action.

On Anwar's statement that the allegations were a complete fabrication to kill his political career, as in 1998 when he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister, Abdullah said the Government had nothing to do with the police report.

"We are not (involved). Umno and Barisan Nasional did not plan to trouble, disturb or accuse him.

"I believe even my friends like (Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Tun Razak) did not have any intention to do such a thing to him," he told reporters here on Sunday after launching the Bumi Hijau programme.

Abdullah said the alleged victim has the right to lodge a police report if it had really happened.

When asked if Anwar would be arrested following the latest allegation, Abdullah said he did not want to speculate on the matter and would leave the matter to the police.

Meanwhile the aide, who had started working at PKR about three months ago to help in the 12th general election, had lodged a police report alleging sodomy by the PKR leader at about 5.45pm on Saturday.

The man, in his 20s, is being treated at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar called for an urgent press conference at 1.20am Sunday morning to deny the allegations.

In a statement read out by PKR vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah at a hotel in Shah Alam, he described the allegations as “total fabrication”.

The statement, which was also faxed to media offices, said: “The police report lodged against me today is a complete fabrication. I believe we are witnessing a repeat of the methods used against me in 1998 when false allegations were made under duress.”

Sources said police were waiting for the medical report from the hospital before proceeding with investigations.

They also said Anwar was expected to be called up by the police to have his statement recorded.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang posted in his blog early Sunday morning that he had spoken to Anwar over the phone and "he is expecting the worst."

"SMS and phone calls have been flying around of imminent police action against Anwar Ibrahim.

Sodomy allegation
Anwar and his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja were found guilty by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Aug 8, 2000 on the charge of sodomising Anwar's former family driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, at Sukma's apartment in Tivoli Villa, Bangsar, between January and March 1993.

Anwar was sentenced to nine years' jail while Sukma received six years and ordered to be given four strokes of the rotan. Sukma was also convicted by the High Court on a charge of abetting Anwar in the commission of the offence.

In 2003, the Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals.

Anwar was first convicted for corruption on April 14, 1999 and was jailed for six years.

He should have been released on April 14, 2003 after a one-third remission but had to start serving his sentence for the sodomy offence, which the court ordered to be served consecutively.

Anwar was freed in 2004 after the Federal Court acquitted him of the charge of sodomising his former family driver.

The three-person Federal Court bench reached a 2-1 majority decision when they allowed the former deputy prime minister's appeal and overturned the conviction and nine-year jail term six years after his sacking as deputy prime minister.

The panel headed by Federal Court judge Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad also allowed Sukma’s appeal.

Court of Appeal judge Tengku Baharuddin Shah Tengku Mahmud concurred with Justice Abdul Hamid while Federal Court judge Justice Rahmah Hussain dissented.

Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad held that from the record of appeal, he found evidence that the appellants were involved in homosexual activities and was inclined to believe that the alleged incident at Tivoli Villa did occur.

However, he said the Federal Court could only convict Anwar and Sukma if the prosecution had successfully proved beyond reasonable doubt the alleged offences stated in the charges based on admissible evidence and in accordance with established principles of law.

"We may be convinced in our minds of the guilt or innocence of the appellants but our decision must only be based on the evidence adduced and nothing else," he said.