Driving the defence awry

Azizan had stunned the court on Monday when he repeatedly agreed to a defence assertion that he kept visiting Anwar’s house up to 1997 because Anwar “did not sodomise” him and he would have kept “far away” if he had.

But when the trial resumed on Thursday, Azizan clarified his remarks during questioning from deputy public prosecutor Abdul Ghani Patail.

He took the stand after trial judge Augustine Paul reversed a decision allowing the defence a chance to prove he lied to the court.

On Wednesday, Paul had allowed the defence to begin impeachment proceedings against the witness. But as the court assembled today, he said he was changing his mind.Anwar’s lawyers said this week there were glaring inconsistencies in the witness’ story.

“It’s meaningless to hold the proceedings to impeach. I therefore terminate the proceedings to impeach,” judge Paul ruled on the trial’s 24th day, in a setback to the defence team.

Continuing his testimony, Anwar’s former employee insisted his original allegations were true. “I misunderstood the question that was raised a few days ago.”

“One of the acts I cannot forget is the incident that happened at Sukma’s house at Tivola Villa,” Azizan said, referring to the Indonesian-born brother and a luxury apartment complex in a fashionable Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood.

“The accused sodomised me first followed by… ”

At this point, Anwar’s defence counsel Christopher Fernando objected.

“Surely this has gone too far. It is not relevant to question posed,” he said.

But the objection was overruled by presiding judge Augustine Paul who allowed Azizan to continue.

“His adopted brother then sodomised me,”Azizan said, triggering gasps from Anwar’s family members and warnings from a court official that members of the public would have to leave the court if they were going to make any noise.

Sukma and a Pakistani biologist who used to write speeches for the deputy prime minister were both convicted of sodomy with Anwar in September and sentenced to six months in jail. Both are appealing their convictions, alleging they were forced by police to sign false confessions.

Meanwhile, Anwar’s wife on Thursday announced the creation of a new political party with herself as the chief.

But Azizah Ismail told reporters that the new party, the Social Justice Movement, would not contest elections.

“It will serve as a bond to unite all justice-loving Malaysians against the arrogance and oppression of the powerful,” Azizah said at the launch in her home, timed to coincide with the World Human Rights Day.

Police have threatened Azizah with jail if she took up the leadership of the nascent movement for politicalreforms that her husband began.