Anwar excoriates Federal Court over Sodomy II decision

(Malay Mail Online) – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today accused the Federal Court of being on the “dark side” for upholding his conviction of a sodomy charge that he maintained was politically motivated.

Pointing to a statement from the government that was issued “minutes” after he was appeal was rejected by the apex court, the opposition leader claimed the timing of both was “no coincidence”.

“I maintain my innocence from charges that are a complete fabrication and a political conspiracy to stop my career,” he said when addressing the court after a cross-appeal of the sentencing.

“In bowing to dictates of political masters, you have become partners in crime to the murder of the judiciary.

“You chose to remain in the dark side,” he said.

This prompted Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria to admonish Anwar for “condemning” the court, before saying that the bench will not entertain further remarks from the opposition leader.

This did not stop Anwar, however, who continued with his diatribe.

“I will not be silenced. I will fight on for freedom and justice and I will never surrender. Allah is my witness,” he said, triggering shouts of “Allahuakbar” from somewhere in the courtroom.

Anwar kept on insisting that the prison will not silence him or end his fight, and began sending his earlier remarks out to supporters using Twitter after the judges left the courtroom.

The judges later returned and reaffirmed the five-year sentence that the Court of Appeal handed down to Anwar last year, prompting supporters in the courtroom to shout “Reformasi”.

Earlier today, Putrajaya hailed the “independence” of the Malaysian judiciary that is sending  Anwar back to prison while pointing out that the complaint against him was brought by a private individual and not by the government.

The ruling by the Federal Court today upholding an earlier Court of Appeal ruling that had reversed Anwar’s acquittal of sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhary Azlan effectively ends the opposition leader’s legal options to challenge the conviction.

He now stands to lose his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat as the law bars anyone fined over RM2,000 or imprisoned more than one year from serving as a lawmaker.

The decision also leaves the Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition pact without a leader.