Lawyer says Malaysia's Anwar faces arrest over sex charges


KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim faces imminent arrest over a former aide's accusations of sodomy -- the same charge he was jailed over a decade ago -- his lawyer said Tuesday.

Anwar could be taken into custody when he goes to Kuala Lumpur police headquarters at 2:00pm (0600 GMT) on Wednesday for questioning over the allegations, said lawyer Sankara Nair.

"I am expecting Anwar to be arrested tomorrow but I don't discount him being arrested earlier. It's a matter of execution," he told a press conference.

"After speaking to the investigating officer, I think Anwar will be arrested under the Sodomy Act," he said, adding that a team of lawyers was on standby.

Sodomy, even between consenting adults, is illegal in predominantly Muslim Malaysia and carries a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.

The investigating officer, Jude Pereira, told AFP he was not able to comment on the case.

Anwar defied an order to be questioned by police on Monday, saying he was angry over being banned from parliament during an opposition bid to mount a debate criticising Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

But Nair said he had agreed to a new request for questioning on Wednesday.

Anwar has said that the accusations made by 23-year-old Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan have been fabricated to prevent him from seizing power, after March elections that handed the opposition unprecedented gains.

Criminal Investigation Department director Bakri Zinin confirmed Anwar had a Wednesday deadline to appear for questioning.

"Failing which the police will execute any necessary actions within the due process of the law," he said.

Zinin dismissed Anwar's charges that the accusations are aimed at undermining his plan to form a new government with the help of defecting lawmakers from Abdullah's ruling coalition.

"This is the perception. He has a right to say this, I'm not a politician I'm a police officer, I go on facts," he said.

Mohamad Saiful has been under police protection since accusing Anwar of sexually assaulting him -- allegations that threaten to derail a political comeback staged by the former deputy premier who was sacked in 1998.

He spent six years in jail on sodomy and corruption counts, before the sex charge was overturned by the nation's highest court.

AFP/ir
Channel NewsAsia
15/07/08

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