Wednesday July 16, 2008 MYT 5:15:39 PM

Chaos in Parliament over Anwar

By ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat erupted into chaos on Wednesday when Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat MPs traded barbs and shouts after Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) said he believed that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was involved in "doing such things."

Mukhriz had earlier said that the people want to know whether Anwar had committed sodomy and the Opposition should not present every other argument to deflect accusations against Anwar.

"People want to know the truth. Was there sodomy or not? Be brave and show proof whether this had actually happened," he added.

Heated exchanges occurred for more than 15 minutes when Mukhriz pointed out that the Opposition said that such acts needed four witnesses to prove that it had actually happened.

He added that DNA test evidence was another method of proof which could also be accepted.

"The truth that I believe is that Anwar had behaved in such a way.

"He had been involved in doing these vile things!" Mukhriz added, before he was interrupted by shouts and heckles.

Several MPs such as Khalid Abd Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) and Dr Lo Lo Ghazali (PAS-Titiwangsa) asked Mukhriz to retract the accusation.

"Anwar is a good person who had been accused with lies," Dr Lo Lo added. Khalid said Muslims were thought that an accused person was not guilty until his crime was proven.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia then put a stop to the arguments and told the MPs to stay within the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill.