PETALING JAYA: A video of former political aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan in Mecca carrying out a sumpah laknat (a retributive oath under Syariah laws) in connection with his sodomy claim was shown for the first time to the media.
This followed the retraction on Tuesday by his father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, of a statement he made in March that the sodomy case implicating Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was part of a conspiracy to destroy the Opposition Leader’s political career.
Azlan did not give any reason for his turn-around, except to say that he had “repented” and “wanted to return to the path of truth”.
Saiful said he had earlier shown the video clip, shot last year during hisumrah pilgrimage, to just close family members.
“But I am releasing it now as my father’s new statement would have brought about many questions,” he told a press conference where the video was shown to the media yesterday.
Saiful, 29, a former personal aide of Anwar, had made a police report that he was sodomised by the PKR adviser on June 29, 2008.
On Aug 15 of that year, Saiful declared his first sumpah laknat at the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar was charged with committing the offence but was acquitted on Jan 9 last year.
The prosecution has since filed an appeal against the acquittal, which will be heard on July 22 and July 23.
“This recording of my sumpah laknat is my strongest defence. I have gone through so much over these five years, and I will not give up, no matter what happens,” said Saiful.
He said he has forgiven his father for saying the case was a conspiracy hatched by a special officer of the Prime Minister’s Department.
He added that his father called him on Tuesday morning to say: “Boy, papa dah tak tahan. Papa nak kembali ke pangkal jalan.” (Boy, papa can no longer stand it. Papa wants to start anew.”
He insisted that his relationship with his father had not completely soured.
Regarding Anwar, Saiful said the Opposition Leader would not dare to take a sumpah laknat to disavow his action and would continue to “make excuses and avoid the matter”.
