KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26: Malaysia's former deputy premier forced police to produce even stronger retractions from two people who had accused him of illegal sex, a former police official testified in court today.The witness was the latest called in prosecution efforts to prove that Anwar Ibrahim abused his power last year by forcing police to arrest and obtain retractions from those who had written to authorities accusing him of sodomy and adultery.The original retraction letters were not strong enough to suit Anwar, and the then deputy PM forced him to tamper with them, said Amir Junus, a former deputy chief of police intelligence.Ummi Hafilda Ali, the sister of Anwar's former secretary, had accused Anwar of having sex with her brother's wife. Azizan Abu Bakar, the politician's former chauffeur, claimed he was sodomised by his boss.``Anwar ordered us to obtain confession letters from them that .had to be more committed, convincing and firm in denying and retracting all their allegations'' againsthim, Amir testified on the trial's 14th day.He said Anwar demanded that additional paragraphs be added so the documents would unequivocally state that Anwar was innocent of sexual misconduct.Amir said he had not choice but to accede. "I modified the retraction letter according to the accused's wishes,'' he told the court. Earlier, a surprise twist delayed Anwar's trial when the chief prosecutor was called away to testify in a related criminal case.Abdul Gani Patail, who is leading the prosecution against Anwar, had been subpoenaed to take the stand against Anwar's former tennis partner, who faces the death penalty for alleged illegal possession of live bullets. But that trial was recessed, and Anwar's trial went ahead later today.
