TASEK PAUH blogspot

Labels: Analisis Politik, anwar, Malaysia

Labels: anwar, black 14, Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Former Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim on Friday continued to protect the sources of a video recording purportedly showing a lawyer fixing judicial appointments.

Anwar unleashed a furore last month when he released the recording in which a well-connected lawyer appears to be telling a senior judge over the telephone that he would push his name forward for a senior appointment.

He said the whistleblowers, who witnessed the conversation taking place, will only come forward if the government can guarantee their safety.

"At the right time, these people will come out. Give them an undertaking today, and in a few days they will come out and Malaysians will know the truth. Their issue is personal safety," Anwar said.

"Attempts to incarcerate the whistleblowers will serve to further exacerbate the public's outrage and will certainly draw the condemnation of the international community that is monitoring developments in this case," he said.

Anwar was speaking to reporters after a two-hour meeting with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) who quizzed him on the video recording.

The government has set up an independent three-man panel to investigate the authenticity of the recording amid calls by opposition, lawyers and rights groups for a royal commission of inquiry.

Anwar said the whistleblowers will reveal all the details if a royal commission were to be held.

He said the independent panel's probe would be a futile exercise as it does not have the power to compel witnesses to come forward.

The ex-deputy was heir apparent to former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad until his sacking in 1998, when he was hit with sodomy and corruption charges that landed him in jail for six years.

The sodomy conviction was later overturned but the corruption verdict stands, barring Anwar from standing for public office until April 2008.

He is adviser to Keadilan or People's Justice Party, which is formally led by his wife.

Labels: anwar, Malaysia, VKLingam

Labels: anwar, Malaysia, VKLingam

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 21, 2007 - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi says he is disappointed by the release of a video clip depicting a conversation, allegedly between a lawyer and a judge, on the fixing of judicial appointments.

"I have received a copy of the video from the police along with the transcript of the conversation. I have also viewed the recording.

"Whether whatever transpired is true or not has yet to be confirmed. We have to verify the authenticity of the video," Abdullah told reporters after chairing a Police Commission meeting of which he is in charge of promotions, salary revisions and disciplinary matters in the Internal Security Ministry today.

"This issue is important as it has caused a lot of damage to the country's judiciary system. If the evidence show what transpired in the video was not the truth, action should be taken against those who released the video, as well as all those who lodged ACA reports.

"I am disappointed. The video was released with the aim of getting the people angry with the country's judiciary system," he told a press conference.

Asked whether a special commission would be set up to investigate the case, he said: "There is no need for one."

..more including:

DPM: Authenticity of of video recording needs to be established first

Tunku Aziz, Param urge PM to stop the judiciary rot

Labels: anwar, Malaysia, Pak Lah, VKLingam

Labels: anwar, Malaysia, VKLingam

Labels: anwar, Judiciary, VKLingam

Today's Zaman, Aug 23 - In the wake of the European Union's strong support for Abdullah Gül's presidential candidacy, Muslim leaders have also joined the choir in lending support to Gül. The former deputy prime minister of Malaysia and a well-respected intellectual in the Muslim world, Anwar Ibrahim, said Gül has been an inspiration for Muslim Democrats all over the world.

Praising Gül as an experienced politician and a very capable leader, Ibrahim said his leadership "has most certainly inspired a generation of Muslim democrats in Turkey and around the world."

In an interview through e-mail, Ibrahim answered Today’s Zaman’s questions:

What might the Islamic world think if Gül is elected president of Turkey?

Turkey’s progression toward democracy represents the hopes and aspirations of Muslims around the world struggling to cast away the shackles of authoritarianism and dictatorship. The resounding victory of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the July elections reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to this democratizing trend and sent a positive signal throughout the Muslim world that the reform agenda is a viable and attractive option to authoritarianism. We cannot predict the outcome of the nomination of Mr. Gül but it is critical that the electoral process as delineated in the Turkish constitution not be derailed by special interest or military intervention.

Do you think Turkey’s secularism will be in danger if Gül gets elected?

The underlying principles of the Turkish state have been reaffirmed by the AK Party government throughout its tenure, and the Turkish people have expressed their approval of a ruling party that is at ease both with Turkey’s secular political landscape as well as its roots in a culture tied to Islamic civilization. Therefore I see no reason to be swayed by those Islamophobes who fear an ideological onslaught by any individual or party even remotely associated with Islamic principles and values. On the contrary I believe a turning point has been reached in Turkey whereby the nation as a whole will reconcile opposing elements embedded in its national psyche and move forward in a positive direction.

There is concern among a limited number of Western politicians and intellectuals that Gül may own the Ottoman legacy and is capable of turning Turkey toward East not the West.

This fear is wholly unsubstantiated both by the pronouncements of Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Gül, and more importantly by the policies that the AK Party government has pursued in the last five years. In the last five years Turkey has taken bold and unprecedented steps toward integration with the European Union. Ironically, it is the West that has often reciprocated in a xenophobic and racist tone by shunning Turkey from the European community. Furthermore the commitment to economic and political reform demonstrated by the AK Party should confirm those who question the government’s commitment to a reform agenda that is rooted in the betterment of Turkish society.

If the military reacts again, what sort of a message will Muslims get from this reaction?

If the military intervenes, the message to the Muslim world will be clear. Democracy is a dead end. Moderates throughout the region will be marginalized and a coup in Turkey will provide ample fodder for more extreme voices calling for more radical changes in society. We must not underestimate the potential for a military intervention to undermine the work of Muslim democrats and reformers throughout the Muslim world. Today's Zaman

Labels: anwar, Luar Negeri, Turkey

Katanya keputusan untuk tidak membicarakan secara terbuka kes itu nyata satu ketidakadilan terhadap diri keluarga dan rakan-rakannya, kata Anwar.

Beliau berkata demikian semasa mengulas keputusan Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Dato' Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat berhubung permohonan pembatalan saman yang dibuat oleh Mahathir terhadap Anwar dalam kes saman malu Anwar mengenai tuduhan Mahathir dalam satu progam di Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam).

Keputusan ini juga menggambarkan kedudukan keadilan di Malaysia, katanya.

"Di dalam mencapai keputusannya, Tengku Maimun telah memilih untuk tidak mengendahkan hujah-hujah perundangan yang telah dibentangkan peguam saya kepada mahkamah untuk memberikan sebab mengapa Dr. Mahathir mesti menjawab saman saya kerana membuat kenyataan liar dan berniat jahat terhadap peribadi saya,"katanya.

Di atas sebab itu membuatkan beliau terpaksa menyatakan keputusan ini langsung tiada nilai perundangan, kata Anwar.

"Saya telah mengarahkan para peguam saya untuk memfailkan rayuan serta-merta,"katanya. Lagi..

Labels: anwar, Mahathir, Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) Juky 4 - Malaysia's de facto opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, lost his bid on Wednesday for a legal showdown with his old enemy, former premier Mahathir Mohamad, whom he tried to sue for defamation.

The decision was a setback for the former deputy premier in his quest to get even. Mahathir sacked Anwar from government in September 1998 in a chain of events that landed him in jail.

Anwar criticized the ruling, saying it was a "gross injustice" to him and his family.

"I am compelled to say that this decision is utterly devoid of any legal merit," he said in a statement. He said he would appeal the decision.

His lawyer, Sankara Nair, called the decision "most disappointing, most puzzling and unexpected."

In his suit, the 60-year-old Anwar said that his former mentor, speaking at a September 2005 news conference in Kuala Lumpur, had described him as a gay man who could be a threat to people if he became prime minister.

Mahathir's lawyer said his client had a defense of justification and qualified privilege in describing his deeds as prime minister. He had asked for the case to be dropped.

"The application is accordingly allowed," High Court judge Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said in a verbal judgment.

The suit follows a string of unsuccessful attempts by Anwar to bring Mahathir, 82, to court since being sacked as deputy premier and finance minister and serving six years in jail on what he has said were trumped up charges.

Anwar was freed in 2004 after the courts quashed a sodomy case against him. However, a conviction for corruption bars him from holding political office until April 2008.

Malaysians watched Wednesday's hearing keenly, since the country's judiciary has sided with Anwar in previous rulings.

In August 2005, Anwar won a judgment of $1.2 million against author Khalid Jafri over a book that accused him of fathering a child out of wedlock, among other things. DNA tests showed the child was not his.

The same month he won an apology from a former police chief for beating him in custody in 1998 and giving him a black eye.

Labels: anwar, Mahathir, Malaysia

Malaysia's Mahathir says ex-deputy Anwar can't hope for big political comeback

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (AP) - Malaysia: Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad heaped scorn Wednesday on plans by his ex-deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, to re-enter politics, saying Anwar cannot make a major impact.

Mahathir, who fired Anwar in 1998 over accusations of homosexuality and corruption, said Anwar might still have enough public support to help his opposition People's Justice Party "win a few seats" in Malaysia's next general election.

"But making a comeback and taking over the government, that's a pipe dream," Mahathir, who retired as prime minister in 2003 after 22 years in power, told reporters.

After Mahathir fired him, Anwar was arrested, tried and convicted of corruption and sodomy, and sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison. He was released in 2004 after Malaysia's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction.

Anwar has said the charges were trumped up because he had begun to challenge Mahathir's authority. Mahathir has denied any political conspiracy against Anwar.

Anwar, 59, declared earlier this month that he would run in May 26 elections for his party, even though his corruption sentence bars him from holding any political office and from running in general elections until April 2008.

Anwar's wife currently is the party's president and is expected to step aside for him to contest the post. If he succeeds, the party would have to apply to the Registrar of Societies to request that the ban on political office be waived.

General elections are not due until mid-2009, but speculation has risen that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi might call polls by early next year.

Anwar has spent most of the past few years lecturing at universities abroad, but he recently began spending more time in Malaysia to help the opposition push for wider democratic rights. AP

Labels: anwar, Mahathir, Malaysia

Anwar defies Malaysian politics ban

March 10 - Anwar Ibrahim, the former Malaysian deputy premiere, has said he will defy a ban on his holding political office and stand for election as an opposition candidate.

On Saturday, Anwar said he planned to stand as president of the opposition Keadilan party despite the ban, which is due to a criminal conviction that he has disputed.

Anwar said he would contest the party polls due in June, "if I get the support of the party".

"It's a corrupt system using the courts to deny my rights," he said in an interview with Reuters. "I'll fight. I am going to ignore the government."

A party official said Keadilan members were keen for Anwar to stand in a possible election.

Khalid Ibrahim, the party treasurer, said: "As a party we propose his name, to be nominated as our president at our next elections in June."

Jailed for sodomy

In 1998 Anwar fell out with Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's then-premier, leaving office to head the Reformasi movement which staged anti-government protests demanding political reform.

He was jailed in 1999 on what he said were trumped up charges of corruption and sodomy.

Having served time for corruption, he was acquitted of sodomy and released from jail in September 2004.

But his corruption conviction was not overturned and his criminal record bars him from holding party or political office until April 2008.

The Malaysian government is expected to call an early general election by the end of this year, in which case Anwar would not be able to stand for parliament and would have to wait for the next election five years later.

Khalid said: "If there is a general election we want him to be there, and also to participate in the election." alJazeera

Labels: anwar, Malaysia, Pilihanraya

Satu lagi projek kerajaan BN.

"Legasi Mahathir' belum tamat! Sementara Anwar dijemput Pas untuk bertanding di Kota Bharu (lapuran the Star), Lim Keng Yaik pula menasihati pengundi 'memerhati belakang masing-masing'!

PAS invites Anwar to stand in Kota Baru

KOTA BARU, March 4 - PAS has invited Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the Kota Baru parliamentary seat if the court rules he can be fielded as a candidate in the next election.

PAS election strategist Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah said the party would help the former deputy prime minister to win back the seat, which it lost to the Barisan Nasional in 2004.

He said that since Parti Keadilan Rakyat was a PAS ally, it was logical for the two parties to cooperate and that includes extending this invitation to Anwar, who is PKR advisor.

Anwar was found guilty of corruption and has since been released on condition, which includes not being actively involved in politics until mid-2008.

In a related development, PKR deputy president Dr Syed Hussein Ali said the party would apply to the Registrar of Societies to allow Anwar to take over the presidency if he is elected at the party's elections in May.

Meanwhile, Anwar has threatened to file a RM10mil defamation suit against Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik over a statement published in a Chinese daily on Jan 27.

He has given Lim 14 days to withdraw the remarks, in which the Energy, Water and Communications Minister purportedly asked voters to “watch your back.”

Speaking to reporters in Penang, Lim said he received the legal notice on Feb 29.

He added that he would not apologise for his remark.

Labels: anwar, Mahathir, Malaysia, Pilihanraya

'Anwar's sacking unlawful as it was done without advising Agong'

PUTRAJAYA (Feb 26, 2007): Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sacked Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from his cabinet post on his own accord without advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Court of Appeal heard today.

Anwar's counsel Karpal Singh said Anwar was unlawfully dismissed as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister on Sept 2, 1998, as his termination contravened Article 43 (5) of the Federal Constitution which states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was the lawful authority to dismiss him upon advice from the prime minister.

The three-member presiding judges comprising Justices Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, Datuk Md Raus Sharif and Datuk Heliliah Yusof heard the appeal by Anwar, 59, to set aside the High Court's decision delivered nine years ago, throwing out his application for an order to declare Mahathir's decision to dismiss him as null and void.

Karpal Singh argued that the High Court was wrong to strike out Anwar's originating summons summarily as there were triable issues to be determined by the court because there were contradictions in the termination letter and the sworn affidavit by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's confidential secretary on whether the Agong was advised prior to dismissing Anwar as required under the constitution.

He said the termination letter did not indicate that Mahathir had advised the Agong on the revocation of Anwar's appointment as deputy prime minsiter and finance minister, reports Bernama today.

Karpal Singh wants the appellate court to straight away decide on the merit of the case instead of making an order to pass the matter back to the High Court for trial. He also sought compensation.

In his application for declaration, Anwar had sought to be reinstated as a cabinet minister but in view of the current change of circumstances, Anwar now wants to be compensated.

Senior Federal Counsel Asmabi Mohamad said the King was advised and informed of the matter which was shown in two sworn affidavits by the King's confidential secretary Jaapar Wahab and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali.

She said the two affidavits were sufficient to prove that Mahathir had advised the Agong before he dismissed Anwar, therefore complying with the requirement of Article 43 (5).

After his sacking, Anwar was charged and found guilty of corruption and sodomy. He was jailed nine years for sodomy and six years for corrupt practice.

On appeal, the Federal Court on Sept 3, 2004, freed Anwar after setting aside his conviction and jail term for sodomy.

His application to review the conviction and sentence for corruption was, however, dismissed by the Federal Court on Sept 15, 2004.

The appellate court has deferred decision in this appeal to another date to be fixed as it needed time to consider the submissions. sun2urf

Labels: anwar, Berita, Mahathir, Malaysia

Permohonan Dr Mahathir Batal Saman Malu Oleh Anwar Didengar 26 April

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Feb (Bernama) -- Mahkamah Tinggi di sini hari ini menetapkan 26 April bagi mendengar permohonan bekas perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad membatalkan saman malu oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim kerana menuduh bekas timbalannya itu sebagai seorang homoseksual.

Timbalan Pendaftar Azmi Kari menetapkan tarikh itu selepas kes itu disebut di hadapannya di dalam kamar.

Bagaimanapun, dengan persetujuan kedua-dua pihak, permohonan membatalkan saman malu itu akan didengar di hadapan Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Datuk Tengku Maimon Tuan Mat.

Azmi juga menetapkan 15 Mac untuk mendengar jawapan terpinda oleh Anwar terhadap kenyataan pembelaan Dr Mahathir.

Pada 5 Jan 2007, Dr Mahathir mengemukakan permohonan membatalkan saman itu dengan alasan ianya bersifat skandal, tidak bersungguh-sungguh dan menyusahkan.

Dalam permohonannya, Dr Mahathir berkata saman Anwar terhadap beliau harus ditolak kerana ia tidak menyatakan sebarang sebab munasabah untuk bertindak terhadap beliau selaras dengan Perintah 18 Peraturan 19 (1) (a) dan/atau Perintah 92 Peraturan 4, Peraturan-peraturan Mahkamah Tinggi 1980.

Pada 27 Jan 2006, Anwar memfailkan saman itu terhadap Dr Mahathir, dengan mendakwa kenyataan Dr Mahathir itu bersifat fitnah.

Pengurusan kes saman malu itu ditetapkan di hadapan Tengku Maimon pada 7 Mac.

Dalam kenyataan tuntutannya, Anwar berkata bahawa Dr Mahathir sedar kenyataannya itu bertujuan menghina beliau secara peribadi dan sebagai bekas menteri kewangan dan bekas timbalan perdana menteri, yang akan disiarkan oleh media tempatan dan asing.

Selain menuntut ganti rugi am dan ganti rugi teladan, Anwar juga memohon perintah menghalang Dr Mahathir atau ejennya daripada terus mengeluarkan kenyataan sedemikian pada masa hadapan.

Dr Mahathir dalam kenyataan pembelaannya berkata beliau membuat kenyataan sedemikian berdasarkan keistimewaannya sebagai perdana menteri.

Beliau berkata kenyataan yang dibuat pada persidangan anjuran Suhakam itu memenuhi syarat keistimewaan yang boleh digunakan sebagai mana yang dinyatakan dalam Akta Hasutan 1957.

Dr Mahathir juga berkata kenyataannya pada 9 Sept 2005 itu dibuat atas dasar kepentingan awam dan menjadi tanggungjawabnya untuk memberitahu orang ramai mengenai salah laku Anwar.

"Saya mempunyai tanggungjawab sosial dan moral untuk memberitahu mereka yang hadir pada sidang akhbar itu, dan melalui mereka, untuk disebarkan kepada rakyat Malaysia," katanya.

Dr Mahathir berkata beliau membuat kenyataan itu untuk menjelaskan salah faham media mengenai tindakan yang diambil terhadap bekas timbalan perdana menteri itu apabila beberapa media mendakwa bahawa Anwar dipecat kerana kelantangan beliau mengenai beberapa dasar kerajaan.

Labels: anwar, Berita, Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is on the attack after returning to the political stage, launching a series of broadsides against the ruling party, which he says is "rotten to the core".

Anwar was a celebrated deputy premier and heir-apparent to former leader Mahathir Mohamad until 1998, when he suffered a spectacular fall from grace, facing sodomy and corruption charges that landed him in jail for six years. He was freed in September 2004, but until last April led a nomadic existence with stints lecturing in Britain, the US and Australia, and only in recent months has switched his focus back to the political scene.

"Like any established, long-serving, ruling party they tend to rot," he said of the ruling United Malays National Organisation of which he was once a leading light, serving as a talented finance minister with strong Islamic credentials.

"They lose their ideas and massive corruption, lethargy and indolence are creeping in. They are all signs of a major disease," he said in an interview with AFP. "They are rotten to the core."

Anwar's sodomy conviction has been overturned but the corruption conviction still stands, barring him from standing for public office until April 2008. National elections must be held by early 2009, but there is speculation that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who replaced Mahathir three years ago, will go to the people before that, effectively preventing Anwar from taking part.

In the meantime his party, "Keadilan" -- or the People's Justice Party -- is formally run by his wife and its only sitting parliamentary member, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar has been lobbing blistering attacks on the government, mostly centred on the corruption which has calcified UMNO over its five decades in power and which Abdullah has been criticised for failing to address. In press conferences at his sprawling home, he has called for a probe into the high-profile murder of a Mongolian model to determine whether the well-connected political analyst accused of organising the crime used government connections to do so.

He has also demanded the government investigate a US$900 billion Russian fighter jet deal, which he said was "blatantly corrupt" and for which a former cabinet minister received a massive commission.

However, the hard-hitting accusations receive little airtime in Malaysia, where the tightly controlled media rarely publish any of his pronouncements -- just one of the problems he faces as he tries to re-establish his political relevance.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng says Keadilan has the potential to be an effective opposition, particularly after its coalition with the fundamentalist Islamic party PAS, but Anwar has a lot of work to do. "If he's making a political comeback he needs to show a lot more commitment. He hasn't made many clear positions, he wasn't even here (in Malaysia) until a few months ago," he said. Brunei Online

Labels: anwar, Berita, Malaysia, Umno

Malaysia's Anwar on the attack in return to political stage

KUALA LUMPUR, January 25 - Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is on the attack after returning to the political stage, launching a series of broadsides against the ruling party which he says is "rotten to the core".

Anwar was a celebrated deputy premier and heir-apparent to former leader Mahathir Mohamad until 1998, when he suffered a spectacular fall from grace, facing sodomy and corruption charges that landed him in jail for six years.

He was freed in September 2004, but until last April led a nomadic existence with stints lecturing in Britain, the US and Australia, and only in recent months has switched his focus back to the political scene.

"Like any established, long-serving, ruling party, they tend to rot," he said of the ruling United Malays National Organisation of which he was once a leading light, serving as a talented finance minister with strong Islamic credentials.

"They lose their ideas and massive corruption, lethargy and indolence are creeping in. They are all signs of a major disease," he said in an interview with AFP. "They are rotten to the core."

Anwar's sodomy conviction has been overturned but the corruption conviction still stands, barring him from standing for public office until April 2008.

National elections must be held by early 2009, but there is speculation that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who replaced Mahathir three years ago, will go to the people before that, effectively preventing Anwar from taking part.

In the meantime his party, "Keadilan" – or the People's Justice Party – is formally run by his wife and its only sitting parliamentary member, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar has been lobbing blistering attacks on the government, mostly centred on the corruption which has calcified UMNO over its five decades in power and which Abdullah has been criticised for failing to address.

However, the hard-hitting accusations receive little airtime in Malaysia, where the tightly controlled media rarely publish any of his pronouncements – just one of the problems he faces as he tries to re-establish his political relevance.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng says Keadilan has the potential to be an effective opposition, particularly after its coalition with the fundamentalist Islamic party PAS, but Anwar has a lot of work to do.

"If he's making a political comeback he needs to show a lot more commitment. He hasn't made many clear positions, he wasn't even here (in Malaysia) until a few months ago," he said.

"People remember his past associations; he hasn't created a new political identity. Anwar 'the opposition leader' is not established in the people's minds yet."

Anwar is keeping up a frantic schedule of public speaking engagements and rally appearances where he airs his charges of high-level corruption within the judiciary, the media and the electoral system.

"You try to talk about the murder and corruption and they pretend not to hear. (They behave) with impunity, bribing people, having lavish entertainment and having total control of the machine," he said.

But when the talk turns to his intentions and political plans, he is somewhat coy, even with regards to his role within his own party.

"I'm not going to be presumptuous, I've been asked to be more involved, but I'm not yet a candidate," he said. - AFP/so

Labels: anwar, Berita, Malaysia, Umno

KUALA LUMPUR, January 16, AP. Malaysian opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday called for a thorough investigation into a 2003 deal to buy military aircraft from Russia, alleging that a former Cabinet minister received a massive commission at taxpayers' expense.

Anwar told a news conference that $108 million in commissions were paid to IMT Defence Sdn. Bhd. to act as a facilitator in the $900 million deal by Malaysia's defense ministry to purchase 18 Sukhoi Su-30MK fighter aircraft.

"Why do you need a facilitator when you have generals going back and forth (between Malaysia and Russia) to negotiate the deal?" said Anwar, a former deputy prime minister. "It is clearly, blatantly corruption. It is certainly not transparent and very unusual."

He said IMT's chairman, Mohammed Adib Adam, was appointed as the middleman in February 2004 although the deal to buy the aircraft from a Russian state company, Rosoboronexport, had already been reached on May 19, 2003.

Anwar said Defense Minister Najib Razak was answerable to the Malaysian public about the alleged commission payments because they were made using taxpayers' money. Although unsubstantiated, the allegations could hurt Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has made the fight against corruption part of his government's mission.

Anwar claimed he has evidence to prove commissions were paid, but said he could not disclose it now to protect his sources.

Najib's aides could not be reached for comment.

Norashikin Abdul Aziz, an aide to Adib at IMT Defence, said Adib -- a former information minister and former chief minister of Malacca state -- was overseas and that other company executives were not immediately available for comment.

Anwar said the commissions came to light when a director of IMT Defence, Mohammed Zainuri Mohammed Idrus, filed a suit in March 2005 against Adib and other directors of the company, to prevent the company from firing him. In his suit, Zainuri claimed that he was being sacked to prevent him from exposing the Sukhoi deal.

Zainuri subsequently lodged a police report on Sept. 30, 2006, alleging that Adib had stolen $108 million in commissions by setting up a new company with a name similar to IMT Defence, to which the money was channeled.

Najib and Adib have not commented publicly about the lawsuit. Norashikin said the company was aware of Zainuri's allegations but declined to comment further.

"Malaysians have the right to know. What really transpired in the antics alleged by Zainuri in IMT Defence Sdn. Bhd? Why haven't the police or the Anti-Corruption Agency begun investigations?" said Anwar.

Police officials and those at the Anti-Corruption Agency could not be immediately reached for comment.

Anwar's allegations come as he is trying to revive his political career. Once seen as a future prime minister, he was sacked as deputy prime minister by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 over allegations of homosexuality and corruption.

Anwar and his supporters claimed the charges were trumped up because he had begun to challenge Mahathir's authority.

Anwar was arrested, tried for corruption and sodomy, and sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison. He was released in September 2004 after he was acquitted of the sodomy conviction and finished serving the corruption sentence.

Labels: anwar, Berita, Malaysia, Pak Lah, Rasuah

You are still bitter about Mahathir?

I am no angel. Al Gore once asked me whether I could ever forgive Mahathir. I said, if he did me wrong, I forgive him. But if he stole from the people, he must give it back. That’s another problem. I am not a people’s representative who could make such a decision. But Mahathir himself always feels he is in the right. He feels the country’s economic foundation is sound. He said he never gave his kids and his family anything, that they never involved themselves in politics, that the press under his government was sufficiently free, the police never oppressed the people, and so forth. I think Mahathir has a major psychological problem. (At the time Anwar Ibrahim was tried in court in 2000, Al Gore, who was then the US Vice President, said that the government had abused the standards of international justice. Mahathir retorted strongly by saying that Al Gore’s statement was proof of ‘international interference.’—Ed.)

Will you return to UMNO?

My friends invited me back to UMNO, but I am not pleased with the party. It is too corrupt.

What is actually going on in UMNO?

UMNO has reached the point of corruption, the party has become very feudal. There has never been any discourse on how to stamp out corruption. But there are a lot of people who like Mahathir’s loud statements [frequently attacking Prime Minister Badawi], because not everyone dares to speak his mind.

Now it seems that Badawi is restricting Mahathir’s moves. What is your view on this?

I don’t agree with the way Abdullah Badawi is attacking and blocking Mahathir. As a citizen he has rights. But when Mahathir declared that Malaysia has become a police state, that there is no free press, and he was treated very badly, he was unable to respond and defend himself. This is ironic and laughable. Didn’t Mahathir do the same thing in the past? More from the interview session by Tempo during Anwar’s last visit to Indonesia.

Labels: anwar, Berita, Mahathir, Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad filed an application at the High Court yesterday to strike out Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million libel suit.

The former prime minister in his affidavit claimed that his comments at a Malaysian Human Rights Commission conference about two years ago were fair and justified, and that he had qualified privilege to make them.

Anwar’s libel suit was an abuse of the court process, he said in his application filed by counsel Datuk V.K. Lingam.

On Jan 27 last year, Anwar filed a defamation suit against Dr Mahathir over his statement pertaining to Anwar’s sodomy charges. Anwar alleged Dr Mahathir uttered defamatory statements at a Press conference in Suhakam’s premises on Sept 9, 2005.

Anwar claimed the words meant he was a homosexual, he engaged in activities contrary to Islam, he was a pervert, unfit to hold office, had criminal tendencies and was dangerous to Malaysian society.

Dr Mahathir said his statement at the Press conference was based on the admission of guilt by Anwar’s former speech writer Dr Munawar Ahmad Anees and Anwar’s adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja in 1998 of sexual misconduct with Anwar.

Munawar and Sukma were both sentenced to six months’ jail. However, when the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial for Sukma, the prosecution withdrew the charge.

Dr Mahathir, in his 48-page affidavit, said the prosecution withdrawing the charge against Sukma was a very recent development.

He said he made the statement much earlier on Sept 9, 2005, and he had no doubt that Anwar had been proven to be a homosexual by reason of Sukma’s conviction earlier.

The former prime minister also stated the High Court had struck out a similar defamation action filed by Anwar against him on Aug 30, 1999, on similar grounds.

Anwar’s action was based on Dr Mahathir’s statement at another Press conference on Sept 22, 1998, in his office.

The High Court held that Anwar’s claim was "obviously unsustainable" because he was sheltered by the defences of justification and qualified privilege, and the decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

Dr Mahathir said the issues raised by Anwar in this suit had already been determined by the courts and this suit was an abuse of the court process and "a flagrant attempt to re-litigate an issue that has unanimously been decided against him (Anwar) in the 1999 defamation action".

Dr Mahathir said he made the statements at both Press conferences because in Malaysian society, sodomy was not acceptable.

"I strongly believe we cannot have a prime minister who is a homosexual. Malaysia is officially an Islamic country," he said.

"When I gave the answer at the (Press) conference (2005), I was not referring to specific details of the allegations... I had in mind, instead, the general conviction of Munawar and Sukma, the reasons for striking out the 1999 defamation suit and the findings by the Federal Court when it quashed the plaintiff’s convictions for sodomy," he said.

He added that Anwar’s appeal was successful because of a "technicality".

The suit was fixed for case management on Jan 9.

Labels: anwar, Berita, Mahathir, Malaysia