Karpal: Your Lordship has lied
(Free Malaysia Today) – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s defence, in a blistering attack, accused High Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin of lying as they sought to disqualify him from the case.
Anwar, who faces 20 years imprisonment if convicted of illicit sexual relations with a young former aide, has condemned the allegations as a political conspiracy to sideline the opposition.
He has accused High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah of refusing to rein in what he said was biased media coverage, including the publishing of a photo taken during a closed-door hearing at the apartment where the alleged encounter was said to take place.
“Your lordship can’t demonstrate that you are impartial,” defence counsel Karpal Singh said, telling the judge he should have cautioned the Utusan Malaysia daily which ran the picture and an earlier suggestive headline.
The photo showed Anwar’s accuser, 24-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, gesturing towards a bed in the apartment. Karpal said the judge was wrong in arguing that the bed had been mentioned in open court.
“With due respect, Your Lordship didn’t tell the truth and that translates into ‘Your Lordship has lied,’” he said.
“Your lordship has no alternative but to step down.”
