KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — The Malaysian Government has called on all parties to respect the legal process and judgement in the conviction of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for sodomising his former aide by the Federal Court in Putrajaya today.
A Malaysian government spokesperson said: “The judges will have reached their verdict only after considering all the evidence in a balanced and objective manner.
“In this case, exhaustive and comprehensive due process has been followed over many years. That process is now complete, and we call on all parties involved to respect the legal process and the judgement,” said the spokesperson in a three-paragraph statement, here today.
The statement commented on the dismissal of Anwar’s final appeal at the Federal Court in Putrajaya, when Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria, who led a five-member panel, delivered the judgement today.
Anwar was found guilty of having sodomised Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at Unit 11-5-1 Kondominium Desa Damansara, Jalan Setiakasih in Bukit Damansara, here on June 26, 2008.
The government spokesperson also stated that Malaysia had an independent judiciary, and there had been many rulings against senior government figures.
The police report against Anwar was lodged by a private individual, Anwar’s employee and personal assistant, not by the government, said the spokesperson.
“As the victim of a serious sexual assault, he had every right to have his case heard in court,” said the spokesperson.
— BERNAMA
