Shafee’s appointment as lead prosecutor in Anwar sodomy appeal raises questions

An unprecedented move by the government to use Umno lawyer Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah as the lead prosecutor in the appeal against the acquittal of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the sodomy case has raised eyebrows as this could lead to more charges of this being a politically-motivated case.

Shafee told the three-man Court of Appeal bench chaired by Datuk Ramly Ali that he was appointed by the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

He is replacing former solicitor-general II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden who led the prosecution team in the trial stage.

Shafee, a former deputy public prosecutor before he went into private practice, told reporters that he received a letter from Abdul Gani on July 11 to lead the prosecution team.

"My appointment is in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Code. The AG is the only person, and not even the prime minister, who can direct me on this," he said.

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Saiful uploads video of oath taken in Mecca

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan says his oath proves that he had indeed been sodomised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, has released a video of his second sumpah laknat (oath), which he made in front of Kaabah when he was performing the umrah in Mecca on April 9, 2012.

The video has been uploaded to his blog and YouTube.

Speaking at a press conference, here, yesterday, Saiful said he had made the oath to prove that he had been sodomised by Anwar.

"After I made the oath, I felt as though a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I felt satisfied, more confident and courageous.

"I stand firm by my statement that I did not lie in the police report that I made in 2008."

Saiful said he chose to release the video a year later because it concerned his and his family's dignity. He said he had shown the video to close family members and relatives, including his father Azlan Mohd Lazim.


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aiful Bukhari's dad made U-turn, now says his son was sodomised

Azlan claimed his son was sodomised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the case was not a political conspiracy

Saiful Bukhari's father, Azlan Mohd Lazim made an about-turn today by retracting the statements he made in March on his son's sodomy case.

Azlan claimed his son was sodomised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the case was not a political conspiracy.

He also announced that he was leaving PKR with immediate effect.

BN sure of winning Perak despite Anwar, says Zahid Hamidi

Zahid and Anwar

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed confidence today that Barisan Nasional (BN) would retain Perak in Election 2013 despite Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim contesting there.

The defence minister pointed out that BN enjoyed strong support from Malay and Indian voters in the silver state, but admitted that the Chinese had yet to back the ruling coalition.

“We are not afraid,” Ahmad Zahid told reporters after the Umno and BN supreme council meetings at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

“We’ll make sure Anwar is defeated and we’ll leave the rest to God,” added the Umno vice-president.

GE13: ‘Permatang Pauh and Lembah Pantai MPs alleged sex videos are fake’

PKR will not be intimidated by threats made by certain parties that they would be releasing sex videos allegedly involving the Permatang Pauh and Lembah Pantai MPs.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution told a press conference at the PKR headquarters here yesterday that some party members had watched the allegedly incriminating clips.

“A few of us were given previews of the alleged videos, which we believe are digitally manipulated.

“These accusations will not scare us. It will make us more determined to move forward in our political battle,” he said.

Anwar threatens Papa Gomo with RM100mil defamation suit over naked photo

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) has threatened blogger “Papa Gomo” with an RM100mil suit if the blogger does not withdraw a post on his website which links Anwar to another sex scandal.

In Anwar's letter of demand, he claims that the blogger had maliciously intended to damage his reputation by posting a compromising photo which the blog alleges was of Anwar.

Lewd video, messages targeting Anwar sent to MP

Lewd video, messages targeting Anwar sent to MP



Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching lodged a report with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today over lewd video and picture messages she received on her mobile phone, targeting PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Explosions outside court after acquittal

Five men were lightly injured in three small blasts outside the Jalan Duta court complex here this morning, right after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of a charge of sodomy, said city police chief Datuk Mohamad Salleh.

He said the five men had been given outpatient treatment at the city general hospital.

The explosives were believed to have been planted in three traffic cones outside the courthouse.

“The explosives were home-made devices with timers. Ball bearings, batteries and wires were found at the scene,” Mohamad was reported as saying by English-language daily The Star.

Thousands gather for Sodomy II verdict

People gather at the court complex despite the drizzle in the early hours of January 9, 2012.

Hundreds of people are still walking past a tight cordon of policemen at the Jalan Duta court complex this morning to join thousands of supporters gathering ahead of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II verdict, expected to be delivered shortly after 9am.

Supporters had begun thronging the courthouse from as early as 5am, some huddling under umbrellas as the skies poured down a steady drizzle upon them.

Hours before sodomy verdict, Anwar tells supporters to keep the faith

Anwar speaking at his ceramah in Kampung Pandan on January 8, 2012.A section of the crowd who came to listen to Anwar at his ceramah in Kampung Pandan on January 8, 2012.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim raced across the capital city last night, spending his potential last hours as a free man making his final appeal to supporters to continue fighting for political reform before today’s verdict in his sodomy trial.

The de facto PKR leader pledged to a crowd of close to 5,000 at the final stop in Kampung Pandan here that “Umno leaders may cage my body but not my spirit.” It was his biggest crowd in his whirlwind meet with supporters in the capital city.

Anwar's last supper: Thousands throng KL

Thousands flooded Kampung Baru in the capital city tonight to listen to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's 'final message' before tomorrow's sodomy trial verdict at Duta Court.

NONEWith Anwar were top opposition leaders such as PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, and PKR vice presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar and Tian Chua, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin and even national poet A Samad Said.

About 5,000 supporters also filled the Sultan Sulaiman club field to listen to the leader.

901 Rally: Supporters gather at carpark .Press waits outside court complex . 901 Rally: Tian Chua arrives 901 Rally: Tian Chua arrives .

PKR's Subang MP R. Sivarasa, Datuk S. Ambiga and A. Samad Said arrive at the Jalan Duta court. Meanwhile, police are thoroughly checking the bags of those going into the court complex.






PKR Vice President Tian Chua leads the crowd that gathered at the Kuala Lumpur High Court where the verdict of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim second sodomy trial will be heard.







The press is made to wait outside the gates of the Jalan Duta court early Monday morning waiting the verdict on whether Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sodomised his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan three years ago.

Sodomy II: Anwar not guilty

Anwar acknowledges the crowd at the court complex.The scene at the main gate.Anwar arrives at the Jalan Duta courts.A man dressed as Justice Bao arrives at the Jalan Duta court complex

High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah will deliver his verdict Monday on whether Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sodomised his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, then 23, three years ago.

These are the live updates from the The Star team at the scene at the KL Court Complex at Jalan Duta and the trial:

10.05am: Anwar leaving the court complex amidst a sea of supporters who are cheering him on. He thanks Wan Azizah for standing by him and credits Karpal Singh as the intelligent defence counsel.

10am: Anwar supporters have formed a long human chain to give him and other Pakatan leaders unimpeded access to the mosque. Traffic is smooth for now, hardly any cars. Part of the crowd has moved off to the mosque or gone home, but still many in front of the court house to greet Anwar.

PKS deputy president Azmin Ali: "We are grateful the court has set Anwar free. It proves that at the end of the day, truth will prevail. Since the first day, we are confident Anwar is not guilty."

9.40am: PKR Youth wing members and other supporters waiting for Anwar to emerge from the court house, and are most likely going to escort him to Masjid Wilayah.

Other supporters assemble and sit in front of the complex main gate to cheer and celebrate Anwar's acquittal.

Court acquits Anwar, judge says possible ‘samples compromised’

Supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim start gathering outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Jalan Duta in the early morning .Strong police presence outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Jalan Duta in the early morning of January 9, 2012.

The High Court today acquitted Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of a charge of sodomising his former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah ruled that the prosecution had not done enough to prove Anwar had committed sodomy against Saiful.

“The court does not exclude the possibility the (DNA) samples were compromised.

“Therefore the accused is acquitted,” he ruled to shouts of joy from Anwar’s supporters and family.

Anwar, 64, had been similarly indicted of sodomy over a decade ago and was found guilty. He spent six years in jail before being exonerated.

The High Court’s decision this time, ahead of the 13th general election, will likely give a boost to Anwar’s Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact’s plans to take over Putrajaya.

KL CPO: Azmin agreed to 10 conditions at meeting

Whether Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is acquitted or not, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali says another rally will be held in Penang on Jan 9.

KL CPO: Azmin agreed to 10 conditions at meeting

Police have no plans to close roads Monday morning, adds DCP Mohamad


Organisers of the Free Anwar 901 rally to be held Monday were informed of 10 conditions during a meeting with police Friday and had agreed to them, City police chief DCP Mohamad Salleh said.

Calling PKR deputy president Azmin Ali a liar, he showed reporters at a press conference here Sunday, a letter signed by PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Amin bearing the 10 conditions and photos of the meeting where Samsul signed the letter.

DCP Mohamad also said he had not heard from the organisers for a second discussion and also did not want to meet with them again as they have been dishonest.

He said the 10 conditions were discussed and agreed with Azmin on Friday, drafted and signed at the Sentul police station by Shamsul on Saturday.

“We took a picture during the discussion and we have a signed copy of the conditions with PKR's agreement,” he added.

Anwar says will make trip to India, Turkey after sodomy verdict

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has indicated that he will take a trip to India after the court verdict Monday.

"Insyallah (God willing), my wife and I will leave for Mumbai after the court delivers its decision in the morning," the Opposition leader said at his ceramah in Kampung Gaung, Kuala Berang here Saturday night.

Anwar said his next stop after Mumbai would be Turkey where he would give a talk on "Islam, Freedom and Justice" on Jan 12.

The Turkish government, he said, had invited him to do so.

Hisham: No way cops would give unconditional nod to rally

Hishammuddin said police would not have announced their approval unless PKR had acceded to the conditions

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today backed assertions by Kuala Lumpur police that the 10 conditions imposed on a rally in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow were agreed upon during their meeting with PKR leaders.

“Obviously, the police would not have held a joint press conference with him (Azmin) without having agreed on the conditions under which the assembly could be held so as not to disrupt peace and order,” the home minister was quoted as saying by Bernama Online today.

PKR leaders including deputy president Azmin Ali and Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin met with city police on Friday after earlier pledging to rally 100,000 people in support of Opposition Leader Anwar during the announcement of his sodomy trial verdict tomorrow.

PKR says signed for letter, not agreement to rally clauses

Azmin and Shamsul (right) arrive for PKR’s meeting with the police in Kuala Lumpur, January 6, 2011.

PKR insisted this evening it did not sign its approval of the 10 conditions outlined by police for the rally in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow, when he learns the verdict of his two-year-long sodomy trial.

Vice president N. Surendran said he was at the meeting with city police on Friday and discussions “did not touch on the conditions given by police later.”

“The signature referred to by the police is Shamsul’s signature to acknowledge receipt of the letter. It was not a signature agreeing to the conditions,” he said.

The lawyer said the 10 conditions, which include barring participants from “making noise” and speeches at the assembly, were only given to PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin in a letter after it was made known to the press.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Mohmad Salleh insisted today PKR had agreed to the 10 conditions set out for its rally, calling PKR deputy president Azmin Ali a “liar” for saying the conditions were not agreed to during their meeting on Friday.

He added that Shamsul had signed an agreement listing down the conditions.

Prison and premiership - Two things on Anwar’s mind as he waits for verdict of sodomy trial today

AS the guilty verdict looms over his head, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has two things on
his mind – his family and the succession plan of the opposition coalition he leads.

“I’m ready to go inside,” the former deputy prime minister said of his second sodomy charge, adding he has little faith in the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.

Anwar, 64, is charged with sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, in July 2008 and the verdict will be read out by the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

He was first sentenced to six years in prison for corruption in 1999 and nine years for sodomy in 2000. He was released in 2005.

In an interview with The Malay Mail at the PKR headquarters on Wednesday, Anwar said his family had considered all possible options and believed they were better prepared to cope if he was sent behind bars.

“I am optimistic but I am also realistic. You expect the best but you also don’t want to be surprised with the worst,” he said to the possibility that he may be found not guilty.