MEDIA STATEMET BY PARTI RAKYAT MALAYSIA (PRM)
 
SENTENCE ON ANWAR APPALLING
 
We are not terribly surprised that Anwar has been found guilty for sodomy.
Had he not been convicted already much earlier by the Prime Minister, Datuk
Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when the case was still proceeding? By doing so,
Mahathir had clearly committed contempt. Yet the court did not take any
action against him for such action.
 
On the other hand, Zainur Zakaria, as one of Anwar’s defence lawyers was
immediately sentenced three month jail for alleged contempt of court, while
Karpal will be charged next month for some of his alleged remarks in court
while in defence of Anwar. Be that as it may, we are nevertheless appalled
that Anwar has been given such a long sentence of nine years, to be
continued after the end of the present six-year sentencing he is now
serving.
 
The judge depended almost entirely on the confession of Azizan and his
ten-day stand as the prosecution star witness. To say that Azizan emerged
unscathed from the ten day cross-examination is ridiculous. The prosecution
not only changed twice the date when the sodomy was alleged to have
happened, but Azizan himself admitted that he changed the date on the
instruction of a police officer from the prosecution. Further, Anwar’s alibi
did not seem to be given full consideration.
 
The long sentence appears to be aimed at ending Anwar’s political career.
But we are convinced that this unfair and unjust sentence has not only
undermined the credibility of the government and the judiciary, but it will
also increase public outrage, especially among the Malays.
 
Even by exploiting issues like the Al-Ma’unah, Mahathir will not succeed in
turning the situation around. Mahathir is slowly losing his legitimacy. With
opposition and distrust against him increasing among the Malays, there is
less reason for him to remain in power. From the prison cell in Sungai
Buloh, Anwar will continue to haunt Mahathir in his palace at Putrajaya.
 
 
Dr Syed Husin Ali
PRM President
 
8th August 2000