Anwar fails in bid to remove prosecutors

By Debra Chong

KUALA LUMPUR — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has been accused of sodomy for the second time in his life, today failed to kick out seven lawyers from the Attorney General's Chambers from taking part in the prosecution against him.

The High Court here rejected his application for leave to disqualify the seven.

They are: Solicitor General I Datuk Idrus Harun, Solicitor General II Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden, deputy public prosecutors (DPP) Datuk Nordin Hassan, Hanafiah Zakaria, Wong Chiang Kiat, Shamsul Sulaiman and Noorin Badaruddin.

In his affidavit supporting his bid, the Permatang Pauh MP charged the prosecutors of having shown bias and prejudice against him when he was first tried for sodomy and corruption a decade ago.

He claimed they had worked hand-in-hand with Tan Sri Gani Patail, then the lead prosecutor in his trials, to hide evidence in his favour.

He also accused them of making up facts, including how he got the “black eye” while in police custody in 1998.

Anwar wanted the High Court to bar all seven as prosecutors in the present case because he believes they are likely to continue what he claims are their biased and prejudiced actions against him.

The man who dreams of being prime minister has repeatedly claimed the Sodomy II charges against him are meant to spoil his chances in taking over Putrajaya.

The 62-year-old politician is also challenging a recent document from the prosecution omitting clear facts in his favour.

He claims that medicals reports state that his complainant, former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, has not been sodomised.

The document under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code is needed before the trial can begin.

Anwar, who made his miraculous come-back from political wilderness last year, is charged with sex against the order of nature, which is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

If found guilty this time, the grandfather will once again be sent to jail, effectively ending his once- meteoric career. (TMI)