Tags:
Journalism of Courage
KUALA LUMPUR, NOV 5: The trial of ousted Malaysian deputy premier took interesting turns today as Intelligence chief Mohamad Awang Said testified that a top aide of the prime minister may have schemed with other cabinet ministers to oust Anwar Ibrahim.
Daim Zainuddin, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad8217;s chief economic adviser, plotted with the sister of Anwar8217;s private secretary to prove Anwar was indulging in illegal sex, Said testified on the fourth day of Anwar8217;s corruption and sexual misconduct trial.
A statement by Ummi Hafilda Ali, saying her brother8217;s wife had sex with Anwar, is being used by the prosecution in the trial.
The other statement being used against Anwar is by his personal driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, who said Anwar sodomized him 15 times.
The details of possible involvement of government ministers in a scheme to unseat Anwar were mentioned in a police report that was sent to Mahathir in August 1997, Said said during his cross-examination by defence lawyers.
8220;Did the report you gaveto the prime minister contain a statement from you that the allegations were politically motivated?8221; Christopher Fernando, one of Anwar8217;s nine defense attorneys, asked Said. 8220;I don8217;t deny it,8221; he replied.
8220;Did you mention that Daim Zainuddin met with Ummi Hafilda as part of the scheme?8221; Fernando asked. 8220;I don8217;t deny that,8221; said Mohamed.
Said startled the court earlier by saying he might lie under oath if ordered to do so by his bosses.
The court plunged into confusion as Anwar8217;s trial resumed on Thursday over whether Said testified that he did believe sexual allegations against the ousted Malaysian deputy prime minister.
8220;I realised after reading the papers this morning, defence counsel Christopher Fernando had twisted the evidence I gave,8221; Said told the high court.
Judge Augustine Paul told Said that Fernando 8220;did not twist8221; his evidence and advised him to ignore the newspaper reports.
8220;What is accurate is what I write here,8221; he said.
Fernanado said his question was whether 8220;wedid not believe the wild allegations8221; about Anwar but Said replied: 8220;No, I did not say that.8221; The defence counsel then asked: 8220;Did you speak to anybody after the court adjourned about this piece of evidence?8221;
Said replied that he did not but Fernando persisted. 8220;You say this under oath. You are on record.8221;
The former special branch director agreed. 8220;Yes. But it was based on my twisted evidence, based on the question that was wrong,8221; he said.
During Wednesday8217;s cross-examination, Said told the court: 8220;I may have said that we did not believe the allegations.8221;
He then agreed with the defense counsel that it was in such context that Anwar requested further investigation into the allegations.
At one stage Said made a personal remark about Anwar following a question from the prosecution, triggering strong objections from the defence.
The comment was eventually wiped from the record after the defence complained that the line of questioning was speculative.
Anwar, who was dismissed onSeptember 2 and arrested two-and-a-half weeks later after leading a massive anti-government rally in the capital, faces another corruption charge and five sodomy charges. The former deputy prime minister has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Cousin detained under ISA
Penang state8217;s police chief, Abdul Hamid Mustapha, denied, however, that Zulkifli had been arrested under the ISA, which allows for indefinite detention if suspects are deemed a threat to national security. Abdul was quoted by the state news agency, Bernama, as saying today that Zulkifli was detained under the printingpresses and publications act. The report did not say why he had been detained. Zulkifli8217;s arrest would bring to six the number of Anwar8217;s associates arrested since he was ousted from power on September two. Police had detained 12 others who have since been released.
