"I was told not to ask anything," Dr Vasantha

"I was told not to ask anything," Dr Vasantha
18 July, 2008

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER REPORT ON THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ANWAR’S BEATING

Part 4

"On 24 September 1998, at the request of the police, I examined Dato Seri Anwar at that place (the ISA Remand Centre)." said Dr Vasantha Ponnniah in her testimony during the Royal Commission of Inquiry hearing to establish the truth behind Anwar Ibrahim’s beating. (This was four days after he was beaten up).

"When I first examined him he did not complain about any injuries that were caused to him."

"I did not ask him about other injuries because I was told not to ask," added Dr Vasantha.

"The exact statement told to me by the police was, "Jangan tanya apa-apa." I could ask questions within the limits of the basic format."

"Obviously, they did not want me to know about the background of the case, or the detention, and the very fact that the photograph was produced to me first, indicates that they did not want me to ask anything about the injuries."

"But I did ask him when it happened. Notwithstanding what the police had told me, I did ask him about the bruises."

"I asked Dato Seri Anwar how he explained the bruises. He was not forthcoming. He just replied, "Oh, it’s one of those things"."

"Then I examined him. I used the normal format which we use for all ISA detainees. I performed a general and systematic examination of all areas pertaining to his complaints."

"The examination was conducted in the presence of six or seven officers who were present throughout."

"When I first examined Dato Seri Anwar on the 24^th, the visible injuries were on the left forehead, the left orbital area, the left periorbital area, the left malar area, the right malar area, and the finger marks on the left arm."

"Dato Seri Anwar did not complain about the injuries on the head, so I did not examine the skull. The patient did not complain of any injury to the lips."

"When I saw him that day, the injury on the left forehead was certainly more than two days old. All the injuries found were certainly more than two days old."

"Collectively, I could say that the injuries were due to blunt trauma. It could be caused by a fist or a blunt object getting in contact with that part of the face."

"From the amount of ecchymosis that was present over the left forehead and the left orbital area which extended up to the left cheek, I would say that the force used was considerable."

To be continued tomorrow.