Clothes, allowance prove Anwar’s links with aide, says prosecutor

KUALA LUMPUR — The prosecution in the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy case yesterday painted a picture of what it alleged was the intimate relationship between the opposition leader and his alleged victim and former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan, while Anwar yesterday accused the prosecution of deliberately spicing up its submissions for the benefit of the pro-government media.

In his submissions yesterday, the lead prosecutor in the case, Mr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, first spent time attacking Anwar before recounting in explicit detail the in-camera testimony by Mr Saiful on the alleged sodomy incident.

As alleged evidence of their relationship, Mr Shafee pointed out that Anwar had been particularly generous towards his former aide, giving him a generous allowance and a room, and even providing him with expensive clothes.

“The accused (Anwar) gave him many clothes ... including letting him use (Anwar’s) Brioni suit, which is more expensive than any other suit known,” Mr Shafee added. “In fact, even I don’t have that kind of suit,” he said.

Mr Shafee also narrated how Anwar had allegedly sodomised Mr Saiful, quoting a four-letter word that had allegedly been said by Anwar to the latter as part of a sexual innuendo.

Speaking after yesterday’s hearing at the Federal Court was adjourned, Anwar said Mr Shafee was citing sensational excerpts from his submissions, so the newspapers supporting the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government could play up those parts rather than address the issues raised by his defence team.

“The deputy public prosecutor quoted juicy parts of his submission for Utusan Malaysia and TV3,” said Anwar, after leaving the court on the fourth day of the hearing.

Mr Shafee, who has acted for the ruling BN coalition’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in other cases, was appointed by the government to lead the prosecuting team.

On the flip side, Anwar said his team of lawyers had done an “impressive” job by laying down the facts and relying on the law to back their arguments. “The defence team has done an impressive job, especially creating doubt in the tampering of evidence,” he said.

A court in March convicted Anwar of sodomy, which is illegal in Malaysia, and sentenced him to five years in prison. Malaysia’s Federal Court began considering his appeal on Tuesday and has extended the hearing until next week. The court will also decide on the prosecution’s cross-appeal for a higher jail sentence against Anwar.

Mr Shafee yesterday also addressed the court on the samples that the defence claimed had been tampered with. He said the conspiracy theory put forth by the defence did not make sense.

He added that UMNO, the media, government medical doctors, two chemists and the judiciary had been dragged into this alleged conspiracy by Anwar when he gave a statement from the dock during trial.

Mr Shafee also told the court that Mr Saiful had been subjected to sexual harassment, which culminated in sodomy. “If a woman can be protected, why not a man?”

Anwar has repeatedly insisted that the charges had been trumped up to kill his political career and weaken his Pakatan Rakyat alliance, which he said had posed a threat to the BN’s decades-long rule.

If Anwar fails to reverse his five-year imprisonment sentence and conviction in the Federal Court, he will lose his Penang seat, as the law bars anyone fined RM2,000 (S$776) or imprisoned for one year from serving as a lawmaker. Agencies