Media Statement

This is in response to Dato' Syed Hamid Albar, the Foreign Minister's statement to the media on the 26th of March and reported in the mainstream print-media.

There is no special treatment given to my husband. The Minister was misleading when he made the statement. It is not uncommon for such statement to come from ministers of the ruling government as can be seen in the whole affair when my husband was assaulted by the former Inspector General of Police who was promptly denied by the PM in the beginning. In respect of my husband's trial, amongst others, the prosecution was malicious, witnesses were intimidated and the integrity of the judiciary came into serious question.

I wish to reiterate that at no point did Anwar agree with the government's conditions as stated by Dato' Syed Hamid. Indeed I was shocked with the statement where the Minister appears to be grossly misinformed. It was never my husband's request to go overseas but was wholly based on Dr Hoogland's recommendations and was purely on medical reasons and there is nothing political.

We have instructed our lawyers to write to Dr. Hoogland the government's decision which include offer of assistance to Dr.Hoogland.

Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

27 March 2001