Anwar to challenge Federal Court’s baseless remarks
Anwar will file a fresh application to expunge remarks made by Chief Judge of Malaya in dismissing an application yesterday
(FMT) – PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will file a fresh application to expunge new unwarranted remarks made by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Makinuddin in a judgment delivered yesterday, says PKR veep N Surendran.
In a press statement today, Surendran said that Anwar will file his application not just to vindicate himself but also to hold the judiciary to the highest standards of fairness and impartiality.
According to Surendran, Justice Zulkefli should have confined himself to Anwar’s original application to expunge remarks make nine years ago that had implied he (Anwar) has homosexual tendencies.
Surendran, who is also a lawyer, said the Federal Court yesterday had no powers to re-evaluate or approve the original remarks made by then Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad in his 2004 judgment on Anwar’s first sodomy charge.
He added that the “baseless and damaging remarks” made by then Abdul Hamid was without legal precedent.
“Having found Anwar not guilty, Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad had no business claiming that they are ‘more inclined to believe’ the incident took place.
“Since they had found Anwar innocent and acquitted him, how can they in the same breath claim that they ‘are more inclined’ to believe the allegation? Why are all the rules and legal precedents disregarded in Anwar’s case?,” asked Surendran.
He added that the matter was made worse yesterday when Zulkefli went further and made new unwarranted remarks against Anwar.
“The court reinforced and interpreted the 2004 judgment in a way prejudicial to Anwar.
“This, Zulkifli and the other judges who sat yesterday had no right to do. They should have confined themselves to the expungement application; they had no powers to re-evaluate or approve of the remarks made in the 2004 judgment.
“It is deeply disturbing that the Federal Court made such wanton and unnecessary remarks against Anwar,” he said.
