What is likely to happen when Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim goes on trial for sodomy in two weeks' time?
The worst-case senario, according to Anwar, would be for him going back to prison after a quick conviction.
While he can appeal against the conviction in the higher courts, bail could be denied and this would effectively put him back behind bars.
"The worst-case scenario is to deny me bail and have a quick conviction," he told AFP ahead of his second sodomy trial which is due to start on July 1 and planned to last three weeks.
According to Anwar, false evidence would be introduced during the trial in a bid to put him in jail and end his political career.
"It's a convenient way for Umno to get rid of me to settle their political problem," he said.
Anwar, 61, has consistently rejected the allegations levelled by a 23-year-old former aide - the same charge that saw him jailed a decade ago - as a government conspiracy to derail his plan to topple the ruling coalition.
Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is illegal and carries a penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
Currently out on RM20,000 bail
The opposition leader is currently out on a RM20,000 bail pending his trial but supporters have expressed fears that his bail might even be revoked during the hearing.
In a pre-emptive move yesterday, Anwar applied to the court to strike out the sodomy charge on the grounds that two medical examinations of his accuser had found no signs of sodomy.
"You can't proceed with the sodomy case when it is quite clear by the team of doctors... the medical experts that there is no trace of sodomy, so why do they proceed, except it is going to become a political ploy," he said.
He vowed to put up a tough fight and would not dismiss the possibility of his supporters taking to the streets.
But Anwar said the party would exercise "peaceful means" to voice their protests if he was jailed.
"We will fight and I am now better prepared, unlike 1998, because that came as a surprise and nobody anticipated the ruthlessness of their manner," he said.
He’s ready to face Saiful
Anwar also said he was ready to meet his accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who has kept a low profile since claiming he was sodomised by Anwar last June, face to face in court when the 23-year-old is expected to take the stand and testify against Anwar.
"I don't have a problem with that. The issue is whether he should be ready with all the evidence against him, particularly the medical evidence," said the opposition leader.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, was sacked in 1998 and jailed for sodomy and corruption.
In 2004, the country's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction, allowing Anwar to go free after six years in jail and paving the way for his return to politics.
Under Anwar's leadership, the opposition last year dealt the ruling coalition its worst electoral setback yet but fell short of the numbers needed to form a new government.
The opposition leader said that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which have differences in their ideologies, would not fall apart if he was jailed.
"The opposition is mindful of this fact (that I might be jailed) and have taken adequate measures," he said.
The worst-case senario, according to Anwar, would be for him going back to prison after a quick conviction.
While he can appeal against the conviction in the higher courts, bail could be denied and this would effectively put him back behind bars.
"The worst-case scenario is to deny me bail and have a quick conviction," he told AFP ahead of his second sodomy trial which is due to start on July 1 and planned to last three weeks.
According to Anwar, false evidence would be introduced during the trial in a bid to put him in jail and end his political career.
"It's a convenient way for Umno to get rid of me to settle their political problem," he said.
Anwar, 61, has consistently rejected the allegations levelled by a 23-year-old former aide - the same charge that saw him jailed a decade ago - as a government conspiracy to derail his plan to topple the ruling coalition.
Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is illegal and carries a penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
Currently out on RM20,000 bail
The opposition leader is currently out on a RM20,000 bail pending his trial but supporters have expressed fears that his bail might even be revoked during the hearing.
In a pre-emptive move yesterday, Anwar applied to the court to strike out the sodomy charge on the grounds that two medical examinations of his accuser had found no signs of sodomy.
"You can't proceed with the sodomy case when it is quite clear by the team of doctors... the medical experts that there is no trace of sodomy, so why do they proceed, except it is going to become a political ploy," he said.
He vowed to put up a tough fight and would not dismiss the possibility of his supporters taking to the streets.
But Anwar said the party would exercise "peaceful means" to voice their protests if he was jailed.
"We will fight and I am now better prepared, unlike 1998, because that came as a surprise and nobody anticipated the ruthlessness of their manner," he said.
He’s ready to face Saiful
Anwar also said he was ready to meet his accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who has kept a low profile since claiming he was sodomised by Anwar last June, face to face in court when the 23-year-old is expected to take the stand and testify against Anwar.
"I don't have a problem with that. The issue is whether he should be ready with all the evidence against him, particularly the medical evidence," said the opposition leader.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, was sacked in 1998 and jailed for sodomy and corruption.
In 2004, the country's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction, allowing Anwar to go free after six years in jail and paving the way for his return to politics.
Under Anwar's leadership, the opposition last year dealt the ruling coalition its worst electoral setback yet but fell short of the numbers needed to form a new government.
The opposition leader said that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which have differences in their ideologies, would not fall apart if he was jailed.
"The opposition is mindful of this fact (that I might be jailed) and have taken adequate measures," he said.
19/06/09
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