Malaysia's opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim (C),sitting next to his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (R)and his lawyers (L), speaks during a news conferenceat their residence in Kuala Lumpur July 17, 2008. Anwar has been freed on police bail.
KUALALUMPUR (July 17, 2008) : Four hours after being released on police bail, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim slammed Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Bakri Zinin for ‘unprofessionally’ taking him into custody yesterday.
"I was ambushed and taken into police custody," Anwar told reporters at his house in Bukit Segambut at 2pm, after having a quick nap and taking pain killers to stop his back pain.
‘Why was I treated like a major criminal and a public enemy," he asked.
"I was placed in a lock-up on the seventh floor of the IPK…the lock-up for major criminals…and made to sleep on a cement floor despite being told I would be released the same night after a medical check-up at HKL," he said.
"Datuk Bakri even sounded like former IGP Rahim Nor (Tan Sri) in 1998," he said, referring to the CID director’s comment in the media yesterday.
Anwar, who looked calm and composed when he addressed a huge crowd of reporters and supporters at his house, claimed IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan has a personal vendetta against him following his allegations in recent weeks that Musa and Attorney General Tan Sri Ghani Patail had tampered evidence on his 1998 trial.
"I am disappointed with the level of professionalism of senior police officers," he said, adding however that the officers who were dealing with him, treated him well. "They did not even touch me," he said referring to the police officers who kept him company for the night.
Anwar also explained that he had refused to give a sample of his blood for DNA because he feared the sample could be tampered with.
"I have reasonable grounds for having no confidence in the system and I fear the sample could be tampered. My accuser is still in police protection and as such, any fabrication is possible if they take my DNA," he said, adding the police already have a sample of his DNA following the 1998 case.
Anwar said he was stripped naked, had his private parts examined and the necessary parts measured at the hospital last night.
He also said he did not allow the police and medical examiners to photograph him for fear that the pictures might end up on YouTube, which brought a burst of laughter from the press and supporters gathered at his house.
Anwar said he will continue with his party’s programme as scheduled and will be in Malacca for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Anwar’s lawyer Sankara Nair, when approached by reporters after the press conference, said ‘ the ball is now in the police’s court’.
"They have to either drop the case or charge him after the bail ends on Aug 18," said Nair, who added that Anwar will only give his DNA if ordered by a court.
Timothy Leonard
The Sun
18/07/08
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