Anwar loses bid to have Malaysian PM appear as
witness in sex trial
KUALA
LUMPUR, April 21 (AFP) - The judge in former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's
sodomy trial Friday rejected a defence bid for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
to appear as a witness.
"There is not an iota of evidence by
any witnesses so far to show that Dr. Mahathir is involved in a political
conspiracy to topple (Anwar)," said high court Justice Arifin Jaka.
"Under these circumstances, it is
futile to call Dr. Mahathir to give evidence in this trial."
Arifin said the defence had failed to
satisfy the court that Mahathir's testimony would be crucial to the trial and
ordered that a subpoena for the premier to appear as a witness be set aside.
As the judge was reading his decision, Anwar
was heard exclaiming: "My God!"
He jumped up from his seat immediately
after Arifin delivered his ruling and said angrily: "Dr. Mahathir should
have the moral courage to come.
"Where is the justice in this court?
You did not consider at all my views. We have a judgement that takes Dr.
Mahathir's views as the gospel truth.
"He has been roaring like a lion to
the whole world and now, he is like a mouse."
Anwar, sacked by Mahathir in September
1998, was jailed for six years last April for abusing his powers to cover up
allegations of sexual misconduct. He is now on trial for sodomy, punishable by
up to 20 years in jail.
Anwar, 52, says he is the victim of a
high-level conspiracy because he intended to expose corruption and was seen as
a political threat to the premier.