Despite strong protest from opposition lawmakers and amid heavy public criticism, Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government has hammered through a highly controversial DNA Bill that could help it win a sodomy case against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
The democracy icon has pleaded not guilty to having sodomised an ex-staff in June last year, counter-accusing Najib of political persecution.
Indeed, not only has the U.S. State Department gone on record to say that it believes the charges were trumped up to tarnish Anwar, two separate medical reports - one from a government-run hospital - showed that the complainant had not been sodomised.
“Pakatan Rakyat is convinced that the way and the manner they are rushing through and refusing to acknowledge valid criticism is clearly meant to be used during my trial,” Anwar told reporters at the sidelines of Parliament on Tuesday.
His lawyers have already applied to strike out the case. It is due to be heard on July 8.
Suspicious delay
Although a year has passed, the public prosecutor has still failed to furnish Anwar’s legal team with key documents needed in their preparation of court submissions.
This is another reason to believe that Najib may invoke the new law to force Anwar to furnish fresh DNA samples that can be manipulated to incriminate him. This is possible because the prosecution has kept the documents list under wraps and nobody knows what evidence it has.
Apart from Anwar, the controversial DNA Bill has been slammed for many reasons, chief among which was that it gave the police and the Home Minister excessive power.
Human rights group also slammed it for its infringing personal privacy, exposing an individual to the whims and fancies of the authorities.
A day ago, an amendment to Section 2 of the DNA Bill was passed with just one vote to spare, but even so, the minute margin was enough to give birth to what critics have called the country’s biggest legal and human rights disaster.
The amendment created a loophole that effectively allows the government to take samples from anyone and not just those suspected of having committed serious crimes like murder. Even those arrested for taking part in peaceful protest can now be compelled to give a sample.
“We have to fight them with or without the Bill,” said Anwar.
SK
24/06/09
The democracy icon has pleaded not guilty to having sodomised an ex-staff in June last year, counter-accusing Najib of political persecution.
Indeed, not only has the U.S. State Department gone on record to say that it believes the charges were trumped up to tarnish Anwar, two separate medical reports - one from a government-run hospital - showed that the complainant had not been sodomised.
“Pakatan Rakyat is convinced that the way and the manner they are rushing through and refusing to acknowledge valid criticism is clearly meant to be used during my trial,” Anwar told reporters at the sidelines of Parliament on Tuesday.
His lawyers have already applied to strike out the case. It is due to be heard on July 8.
Suspicious delay
Although a year has passed, the public prosecutor has still failed to furnish Anwar’s legal team with key documents needed in their preparation of court submissions.
This is another reason to believe that Najib may invoke the new law to force Anwar to furnish fresh DNA samples that can be manipulated to incriminate him. This is possible because the prosecution has kept the documents list under wraps and nobody knows what evidence it has.
Apart from Anwar, the controversial DNA Bill has been slammed for many reasons, chief among which was that it gave the police and the Home Minister excessive power.
Human rights group also slammed it for its infringing personal privacy, exposing an individual to the whims and fancies of the authorities.
A day ago, an amendment to Section 2 of the DNA Bill was passed with just one vote to spare, but even so, the minute margin was enough to give birth to what critics have called the country’s biggest legal and human rights disaster.
The amendment created a loophole that effectively allows the government to take samples from anyone and not just those suspected of having committed serious crimes like murder. Even those arrested for taking part in peaceful protest can now be compelled to give a sample.
“We have to fight them with or without the Bill,” said Anwar.
SK
24/06/09
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