Anwar’s trial reaches mind-boggling phase

The following is my article appeared in Malaysian Insider



MARCH 25 — Tell me if the following rulings by the judge in Anwar Ibrahim’s trial is not mind boggling.

First the court ruled that a towel, a toothbrush and a mineral water bottle introduced by the prosecution were inadmissible as they had been unlawfully obtained.

Subsequently, the same judge overruled his own decision and held that the items are now admissible and can be relied upon by the prosecution.

Perhaps because Anwar has been accused by the prosecution of indulging in an unnatural sexual act, an unnatural trial is therefore to be expected.

What I mean is that people are too naive or foolish if they expect Anwar’s trial to be placed in the same category as other ordinary criminal trials involving the average person.

Don’t believe me? Can anyone tell me if any other sodomy complainant has been allowed to see the prime minister or his wife at their official residence?

Or if other victims could personally contact the IGP?

Or allowed to provide their police statement in the privacy and comfort of a hotel room?

Or if Anwar is not being put on trial in the court of public opinion, courtesy of the pro-government media?

Or if other prosecution affidavits are published in newspapers before they are submitted to the trial?

Or if we have unrelated organisations organising protests to pressure the accused into surrendering his DNA samples?

And the lists goes on.

Like it or not Anwar’s trial has never been usual and natural to begin with. You don’t see many such stunts appearing anywhere else but here.

When Anwar is tried, it seems that the entire machinery of the government have been in operation to viciously finish him off. As far as Umno is concerned, Anwar is the enemy of the State thus any means to destroy him is justified.

One must be crazy to even dream that Anwar would be accorded a genuine due process. What transpired inside and outside the trial reaffirms the people’s belief that the ghost of his first sodomy trial has now returned with a vengeance.

Judging from what has happened throughout his trial so far, people suspect something must be wrong somewhere.

Is his a legal or political trial? Is he or our administration of justice being tried? What do his enemies really want?

Many well-planned coincidences also emerge in Anwar’s fiasco.

When Anwar was to be nominated as a candidate for Permatang Pauh’s by-election, the public were suddenly shown Saiful’s oath in the Federal Territory mosque.

Now, when people are to go to the polls in Sarawak, they are shown yet with another stunt — a sex video tape purportedly featuring Anwar as the main actor of the scene.

For the first time, a sex video was publicly viewed without any interference from the police. And for the first time, Malaysians are told Datuk T comprises of three individuals .

Anyway Anwar should be thankful to his political rivals as they do not mind Rahim Tamby Chik’s role in this new release video.

When Rahim shows his utmost concern on sex related materials, history is being rewritten.

Never mind Anwar... lawan tetap lawan