The Anwar Ibrahim issue: Someone is playing with fire

Wahid YunosJuly 1,2008

Like many Malaysians, I could not comprehend why there is another sodomy accusation against former Deputy Prime Minsiter and de facto opposition leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The tarik sessions with friends also failed to coalesce around the issue, people were simply not interested in what was happening in the mad world of politics. That is not to say that they are not angered by it.
From conversations with friends, colleagues and family, it appears that people are holding back a lot of unhappiness and anger but they just do not know what to do with it and this, I think is the most dangerous kind of situation for the country.
There are so many unresolved issues ranging from political bickering to increasing cost of living and eroding national competitiveness weighing down the people hearts and this latest episode is yet more proof that some out politicians is more in love with politics rather than the idea of serving the people.
A decade ago we saw the biggest blackest spot in national politics when Anwar was removed from office on charges of corruption and abuse of power and sodomy. After a protracted session in the high court, he was found guilty and the term ‘not relevant’ passed jauntily into the realm of political satire.
The decision was later overturned by the Federal Court on the grounds that the evidence did not bring the judges’ minds beyond reasonable doubt but rather strangely the three-judge bench went out of their way to state that they thought Anwar did engage in acts of sodomy but the evidence simply does not support it.
Appellate courts, if my first-year law is correct, is not suppose to sully their minds with the arguments and evidence given in the High court, they are to engage in deliberations about points of law or points of procedure. They are already treading on a fine line for saying that the High Court erred because the prosecution never built a case strong enough to last the defense attack to remain beyond reasonable doubt. That’s a bit like evaluating the truth and veracity of the evidence isn’t it?
But it is something altogether to say that despite the serious deficiency in the prosecution case, they are keen to believe that Anwar is a sodomist. Hmm…
Despite the rather peculiar construction of their judgment, many Malaysians were relieved to have Anwar absolved of the disgusting allegation but detractors were quick to point out that the Federal Court still believed he was sodomist but the evidence did not support it.
And so we digested the first accusation with some discomfort and just when we were about to get rid of the last burp of indigestion, this came up.
To say that the latest turn of event has taken us to the lowest ebb in Malaysian politics is to be kind, the whole country is now, whether we like it or not, rolling in a mud pit of dirty politics and it is doing no favours for Malaysia’s image in the international arena.
Trying to figure out what has happened will boggle the mind.
Firstly many will want to know if there is any basis for the police report and secondly millions are put in a conspiratorial mindset accusing both the Government and Anwar of playing politics at a time when the country needs less of it.
What we know so far is that one Mohd Saiful Bukari Azlan has lodged a police report accusing Anwar of sodomising him on Thursday, June 26 at a condominium in Damansara Heights,
Subsequently on Sunday Anwar went to the Turkish embassy, claiming that the ambassador had invited him over, as an offer for protection. Anwar also claimed that there threat against his life.
On the same day, his wife, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail held a Press conference and showed a picture of Saiful with Khairil Anas Yusof an officer at the Deputy Prime Minsiter, Datuk Seri Mohd najib Abdul Razak’s office.
Those looking for conspiracy immediately found a link between the two political heavyweights and this immediately did serious damage to Najib’s image, which is already embattled by Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s statutory declaration claiming that the DPM’s wife Datin Seri Rosma Mansor played a direct role in the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shariibu.
Najib has since denied any involvement, claiming that Saiful Bukhary had come to his office on Feb 12 seeking support for his scholarship application.
Civil Rights lawyer, Haris Ibrahim said in his blog that the PKR is convinced that there was a mole in their office going into the General Election.
He said;

Sometime in February this year, we had agreed to meet for lunch and I was to pick him up at Anwar’s office in Section 16, PJ.
When I got to the office, Din (Merican) asked me to take a seat as he had a few loose ends to tie up.
As he attended to those ‘loose ends’, Din proceeded to disclose to me something that I made note of but made no inquiry of at the time. Let me try to narrate to you what he said as best as I can recall.
“UMNO has sent a spy. They think we don’t know. Now we are spying on the spy. And we are going to give him enough rope to hang himself. And when the time comes, we will tighten the noose”
So, no, I don’t think Azmin’s statement as quoted in NST online today is an attempt to discredit the complainant.
I think that on 28th June, the noose around the canary’s neck, or that of its owner’s, had gotten so tight that it started to sing ‘liwat, liwat’ in a high-pitched tone.
Former New Straits Times Editor in Chief, Datuk A Kadir Jasin proposed three possible conspiracy theories playing in people’s mind.

Antara teori konspirasi yang popular mengenai dua kes ini adalah:-(Among the more popular conspiracy theories attached to the case are:-
1. RPK tidak bertindak berseorangan. Dia bersekongkol dengan individu atau kumpulan tertentu. Matlamatnya adalah untuk menjatuhkan atau setidak-tidaknya menyekat kemaraan Mohd Najib Abdul Razak;
(RPK is not acting alone. He is in cahoots whith certain individuals or groups. The goal is to bring down or at least stop the rise of Mohd Najib Abdul razak;) 2. Mohd Saiful Bukhari b Azlan tidak bertindak berseorangan. Dia bersekongkol dengan individu atau kumpulan tertentu. Matlamatnya adalah untuk menjatuhkan atau setidak-tidaknya menyekat kemaraan Anwar; dan
(Mohd Saiful Bukhari b Azlan is not acting alone. He is in cahoots with certain individuals or groups. The Goal is to bring down Anwar or at least stop his rise.
3. Bahawa semua ini sengaja diada-adakan bagi menutup kelemahan kerajaan dalam menangani kenaikan kos sara hidup dan kegagalan Anwar memujuk Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional berpaling tadah.
(All this is a diversion created to cover the Government’s weaknesses in handling the rising cost of living and to thwart Anwar’s effort to persuade Barisan Nasional member of Parliaments to jump ship)

After an expansive discussion about the various aspects of the case, Kadir invited his readers to ask several questions.
Antara soalan yang perlu dijawab di arena politik, kepolisan dan kehakiman untuk mematikan pelbagai teori konspirasi ini adalah:1. Adakah pihak-pihak tertentu di Pejabat Abdullah, Pejabat Mohd Najib, Umno, PDRM dan Kamar Peguam Negara mempunyai maklumat awal sebelum Saiful Bukhari membuat laporan polis?;(Did certain quarters at Abdullah and Najib’s office, Umno, the polie and the Attorney General’s chambers have advance notice of Saiful’s police report)
2. Apakah kaitan antara Saiful Bukhari dengan Khairil Anas sekadar bergambar kenang-kenangan di ruang legar Pejabat Timbalan Perdana Menteri?;(Was the picture of Saiful Bukhari and Khairil Anas merely a momento of his visit to the office of the Deputy Prime Minister?;)
3. Bagaimana seorang muda berusia 23 tahun dan berupa pemimpin pelajar Universiti Tenaga Nasional merelakan dirinya dicabul berulang kali sebelum membuat laporan polis?;(Why did a strapping 23-year old student leader of Universiti Tenaga Nasional allow himself to be repeatedly sodomised before lodging a police report)
4. Apakah relevannya tarikh-tarikh tertentu dalam time-line dakwaan liwat itu serta individu-individu yang dikatakan terbabit? (Dalam proses siasatan, Saiful Bukhari pasti akan disoal mengenai siapa yang ditemuinya sebelum dan selepas membuat laporan itu.); dan(What is the relevance of the dates mentioned in the timeline of the sodomy accusation? – In the investigation process, Saiful Bukhari will be questioned about who he met before and after he lodged the report; and)
5. Adakah peranan beberapa nama yang turut disebut-sebut sebagai “the players” dalam drama ini seperti Ezam, Rohaimi dan Khairil?
( Ezam, Rohaimi and Khairil are mentioned as player in this drama played, what roles did they play?)

Another blogger, Ahirudin Attan, writing under the label Rocky’s Bru was more circumspect and opened everything to discussion, congratulating Saiful for his courage, if he was, indeed, sodomised by the former DPM;
Saiful Bukhary has made a very serious allegation against Anwar Ibrahim. If he is telling the truth, then he's done a most courageous thing by going to the police. If he's telling a lie, then it's a most despicable deed.
With Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam SeMalaysia all shouting entrapment and political conspiracy created to prevent Anwar from becoming the Prime Minister on Spetember 16, as promised, Malaysians in general are left scratching their head wondering what is happening.
In general there are three major schools of opinion, the first are convinced that this is further proof of Anwar’s homosexual tendencies, the second has embedded their thoughts in a conspiracy theory while the third is wondering what is actually happening.
It would be interesting to see which is the largest of the three groups.
From normal conversation, it appears that the most popular thought is that Anwar is facing another conspiracy to silence him, this time for good.
Further to these questions, I would like to raise several others;
1. How did Wan Azizah get the picture of Saiful and Anas so quickly which she eagerly showed to the Press.
2. Why was it shown to the Press?
3. Was PKR trying to establish a link between Najib and the conspiracy?

If you believed Haris Ibrahim’s alleged conversation with Din Merican, then you will probably scoffing at the obviousness of it all but we do have to keep in mind that Najib would be taking a huge risk reviving a tactic first used in 1998 to much public scorn.
This is especially true in the current climate when many people are already questioning Anwar’s ability to fulfill his fantastic promise of taking over the reins of Government by Malaysia Day – there are other less dangerous way to scare away the spectre of Pakatan Rakyat.
The sodomy charge carries evokes so much negative sentiment and so widely rejected by the people that anyone wanting to discredit Anwar would do well to find another allegation.
While you pull out your hair thinking about whether there is a conspiracy at all, we will move on consider Anwar’s action on Sunday.
He ran to the Turkish Embassy claiming he was invited for protection and yet on Monday, the Ambassador made it clear that no such invitation was issued and no offer of protection was made.
Offering political asylum to Anwar at this time would almost certainly put a strain on the relationship between Putrajaya and Istanbul so I am disinclined that His Excellency would have been so quick to make the offer to Anwar, not officially anyway.
If we find it difficult to understand why Barisan Nasional would take the drastic action of framing Anwar with another sodomy charge and think it odd that a 23-year old would have any problems resisting a 61-year old man with a bad back then there is one more possible scenario.
Umno Youth deputy chief, Khairy Jamaluddin took extreme left field by suggesting in Utusan Malaysia that Anwar himself may have put the wheels in motion to gain sympathy from the people.
The proposition is that Anwar wants to incite the people against the BN Government and he is striking while the iron is still red hot from the fuel price hike.
They suggest that this is part of Anwar’s publicity stunt to gather a million people on July 5 to protest the fuel price hike. The plan is to hold these massive gatherings on July 5, 6 and 7 as part of their effort to ‘topple the Government’.
The logic behind this theory is that by stokig people’s anger, the Opposition would cause it to flare and push them to come down to the capital to show their anger with another conspiracy against Anwar.
Some pro-Umno websites are also taking this position.
Another Brick in the Wall (http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/) had this to say;
At this juncture, I will not claim Saiful as being naive.
But do ponder, why would anyone be wiling to be subjected to humiliation from the publicity and scrutiny of being sodomised?
They say any man has a price. But can money alone compell a young man with a future ahead - ambition, aspiration and drive to pursue a life in politics, and about to consummate marriage - willing to do such an act?
And why is he willing to risk his reputation against someone so formidable, politically influential, global network and maybe PM-in-waiting? Is he so principled that he is willing to risk everything for the truth?
The information thus far only provide a glimpse of the "victim". There is yet sufficient fact for an answer but this SMS that just came gave an interesting insight:
Remember September 11. How fast the finger points 2 Osama and Afghanistan. There is an uncanny resemblance of strategy. The boy could be working 4 AI. Purpose 2 gain sympathy, a victim. But look at Sept 11 who benefitted and look at latest Anwar antics. WHo benefitted in this public/world perception game. Anwar is scoring sympathy point while making the BN gov to appear like a repressive regime. Wonder who is his strategist?
Its confusing. But this Saiful is not a naive young man. We will see how it goes.
Another pro-Umno blogger, BigDog was quick to latch on to the caution issued by the United States against any politically motivated investigation of Anwar Ibrahim in the effort to link Anwar to an international conspiracy to topple the BN Government. This is what he said;

Funny thing, why is the Americans so responsive and at a point, very defensive when it comes to Anwar? Isn’t this jumping the gun about this case being politically motivated, instead of the criminal nature as it is, being something to be weary about?

The fact is that, Anwar is up his usual old tricks again, with the sandiwara and focusing on the foreign media in getting his story through. Ten years ago, Anwar pre-emptively demonized the law enforcement and judiciary system entirely even before proper due process of the law took place.
His close associations with the Neo Cons of the West, especially the Jewish power-makers in Washington D.C. did a lot of damage of Malaysian Government rapport internationally. We at BigDogDotCom remembered so well Kuala Lumpur US Embassy’s close observation of Anwar’s political engagements in by-elections last year. Of course, we shall not forget the Israelis close interest on Anwar’s political developments.

The only problem is that Anwar taking this path would be like him playing Russian roulette just to get people to feel empathy for you.
He had fought tooth and nail eight years ago to push away a sodomy charge which he claimed was trumped-up.
Until today, the former DPM is adamant that the police and judiciary is corrupt and biased so initiating an investigation of another sodomy is crazy as there is every possibility that they might just find him guilty.
What is clear is that whoever is behind this move is playing with fire.
If things get out of control, we may have to endure another Emergency Government and this would leave everyone with a short straw.
At this point, quite a lot hinges on who is more credible and believable, Anwar’s image was boosted when the Lingam tapes proved to be true so he has cache among listeners and may be able to live through this unscathed.
The key thing to remember here is to keep a level head and allow the law to take its course, even if we are not convinced that the authorities can be transparent and unbiased.
There are parties who are just waiting to see a destabilised Malaysia so me must not give them that satisfaction.-malaysiaaktif.com