Leaked medical report confirms no evidence of sodomy, says Anwar

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday (July 29) demanded that police drop a sodomy investigation against him, producing a medical report he said showed no sexual assault had taken place.

The former deputy premier reiterated that the allegations by his former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, have been fabricated to disrupt his plans to seize power from the coalition.

"The hospital report leaked yesterday confirms our contention that the allegations levelled against me are baseless and politically motivated," he told a packed press conference at his party headquarters on Tuesday.

A copy of a report, said to be by the doctor who examined the alleged victim after he filed a police report against Anwar, was published on Monday by a prominent blogger who has also alleged government links to a high-profile Mongolian murder case.

Anwar said the medical findings showed that "that the complainant is an outright liar working hand in glove with those in power to assassinate my character and attempt to derail the people's aspirations for transformational change in Malaysia".

"This report makes a mockery of the so-called impartial police investigation, and clearly shows the dubious and persistent attempts to incriminate me by whatever means employable," he added.

Anwar did not say how he had obtained the June 28 report, which has also been circulating on political websites, but said it showed there was no evidence that his accuser, Saiful, had been sodomised.

"Police should stop this investigation. With this evidence, this is an end to it," he demanded.

The police were not immediately able to comment on the claims, but they have denied reports that the doctor who prepared the report had been arrested.

Saiful has alleged that he was sexually assaulted at a luxury condo and is now under police protection.

The opposition leader was arrested earlier this month and spent a night in custody before being released on police bail.

Anwar called on the police to drop the investigation which he said was harming Malaysia's reputation and economic prospects.

"I condemn in the strongest terms their negligence, dishonesty and recklessness in humiliating the nation by dragging us all through this vile and filthy charade."

"At a time when the world economy is spiralling into recession and Malaysia has struggled to remain competitive, this scandal was raised at the worst possible moment," he said.

"The international community has expressed its disdain for what is happening and that will translate to less foreign investment, less tourism and an even weaker economy."

Anwar, a former deputy premier who was sacked in 1998 before being jailed on sodomy and corruption charges, has said he plans to return to parliament later this year if a court orders a by-election near his home town.

The original sodomy conviction was overturned by the nation's highest court in 2004, but the corruption count still stands and prevented him from taking public office until a few months ago.With reports from agencies

Hazlin Hassan
The Straits Times
Asia News network
29/07/08