Nazri: IPU report ‘ridiculous, stupid, short-sighted’
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department expressed outrage over the report’s stinging criticisms of the way Anwar’s trial was being handled in Malaysia.
“The statement released by IPU is of no significance and is never ever going to be a factor in determining the result of Anwar’s trial. It is ridiculous, stupid and short-sighted,” said Nazri, who is IPU Malaysia chairman and also de facto law minister.
The IPU, an international organisation of parliaments, has urged Malaysia to abandon the prosecution of Anwar for sodomy because it claims the case has brought disrepute to the justice system.
In a special report released in August, the IPU also questioned the alleged direct involvement of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and SAC I Datuk Rodwan Yusof, who had met Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan days before Anwar allegedly sodomised him.
“The prosecution has obviously been compromised, even by the mere perception that a member of its team has been guilty of wrongdoing. Removing Farah Azlina from the team has not solved the problem because her wrongdoing has tainted the entire prosecution and the integrity of the trial,” Mark Trowell, a Queen’s Counsel based in Australia, wrote in a report on behalf of the IPU.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Azlina Latif was in the team prosecuting Anwar when allegations surfaced that she was romantically involved with Saiful.
However, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail stressed that the junior prosecutor was removed to prevent negative public perception of the Sodomy II prosecution team.
In response, Nazri said it was the responsibility of the IPU to respect the independence of Malaysia’s judiciary and not formulate any opinions based on feedback given solely by Anwar’s lawyers.
“They (IPU) have to respect the independence of any judiciary. Why is this organisation pressuring the judiciary of Malaysia to drop Anwar’s trial?
“They didn’t send any observers to Anwar’s case. I believe they know nothing except slanted reports given by Anwar’s lawyers or whoever,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.
The law minister warned that Malaysia would have no qualms about leaving the union if it was unhappy with the way it was being treated.
“IPU should remember that Malaysia, like any other member, is a paying member. Someone who begs for money from its members does not have a right to dictate to people what to do.
“If we are not happy, we can leave when the time comes,” said the IPU Malaysia chairman.
Among other things, the report said the alleged involvement of Najib in the trial has brought the country’s justice system into disrepute.
The report also criticised the A-G for not performing his duty.
