The hospital report leaked yesterday confirms our contention that the allegations leveled against me are baseless and politically motivated and 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 government.
This report makes a mockery of the so-called “impartial police investigations” and clearly shows the dubious but persistent attempts to incriminate me by whatever means employable.
How else can we fathom why the police during the last four weeks of their “thorough and professional investigations” have overlooked such a critical piece of evidence? 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.
Our refusal to submit a DNA sample has been vindicated. The failure of the police to disclose this medical report all but confirms their intention to frame me. Although quite apparent even before yesterday, their desperate attempt to collect a new DNA sample is now even more clearly a last ditch effort to build a case where none exists.
The statement by Bar President Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan in response to this latest development bears repeating.
“The credibility of the Malaysian justice system as a whole is therefore atstake. The integrity of professionals, be they doctors or lawyers, must never be interfered with. The public must be left in no doubt that the criminaljustice system in this country will not be misused or abused.”
Several weeks ago I filed a police report implicating Musa Hassan and Gani Patail in the conspiracy to fabricate evidence in my 1998 case. The ACA subsequently opened an inquiry into the matter. Given their current involvement as heads of the police and Attorney General’s chambers, and their earlier attempts to discredit and defame me, I have consistently asserted that a fair investigation into this matter would be impossible, notwithstanding the dubious character of the complainant and his association with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife and, her staff, as well as key figures in the police department.
I reiterate earlier calls to ensure the safety and security of the doctor who authored this medical report. Reports that he and his family may be in danger must not be taken lightly given earlier instances when key witnesses in high-profile cases in Malaysia have been threatened, coerced or gone missing.
My family and I have endured a great deal during the last month. Our fears of arepeat of the trauma and abuse inflicted upon us in 1998 were bearable only with the tremendous outpouring of support from our friends in Malaysia and throughout the world. We breathed a deep sigh of relief upon hearing of the report and after seeing it with our own eyes felt a great burden lifted from our shoulders. We remain eternally grateful to them for their belief in us and their commitment to the cause of freedom and justice in Malaysia.
I have willingly cooperated in the police investigations; careless and vindictive though it has turned out to be. But I have decided that nation is in a grave situation economically and socially and I can no longer be distracted by such nuisances. I am now determined to move ahead with the reform agenda, which the Malaysian people endorse in the last elections, and i do not intend to address this scurrilous accusations anymore.
At a time when the world economy is spiraling into recession and Malaysia has struggled to remain competitive with its neighbors, this scandal was raised at the worst possible moment. The problems of inflation, unemployment, and investor confidence grow more serious by the day The authorities, aided by senior Ministers in the government, appear to be willfully dragging the nation’s stature down in their last ditch efforts to retain power. 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.
I call upon the government to rise above petty vindictiveness and maneuvering for power, and to be sincere, honest and hence effective in its actions. The national good that, for the moment now reposes in their hands, demands nothing less.
ANWAR IBRAHIM
No comments:
Post a Comment