TERIMA KASIH MATRIX

Anwar's sex trial set to resume Wednesday, defence to seek adjournment

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (AFP) - The sodomy trial of Malaysia's jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim is due to resume Wednesday after the appeal court Monday rejected his attempt to make Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad testify.
Sankara Nair, one of Anwar's lawyers, said they had been notified the trial would resume Wednesday. It was adjourned on May 4.

He told AFP the defence would apply for an adjournment until Malaysia's highest court, the federal court, rules whether the premier must give evidence for the defence.

"We will apply for a stay of proceedings when the trial starts tomorrow," Sankara said.

Anwar, sacked by Mahathir in September 1998 and subsequently detained, was jailed for six years in April 1999 for abusing his official powers to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct.

He faces up to 20 more years if convicted of sodomy.

Anwar says he was framed by a high-level conspiracy because he intended to expose corruption and was seen as a political threat to the premier.

He says Mahathir can give crucial evidence to prove his innocence.

On April 21 Arifin Jaka, the high court judge hearing the sodomy case, ruled there was "not an iota of evidence" that Mahathir was involved in any conspiracy and said he not need heed a defence subpoena.

Arifin allowed Anwar to appeal his ruling. But three appeal court judges Monday decided the defence has no legal grounds to challenge Arifin's decision.

Sankara said he would file a notice of appeal against the judges' decision in the federal court Tuesday afternoon.

Anwar is also appealing to the federal court after the appeal judges separately threw out his bid to overturn the conviction and sentence in his abuse of power case.