All remaining charges against Anwar dropped

All remaining charges against Anwar dropped

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Lawyers for jailed politician Anwar
Ibrahim rejected on Sunday the official reason for the dropping
of all remaining charges against the former Malaysian deputy
premier, saying he was denied his day in court to refute the
allegations.

Rais Yatim, minister in the prime minister's department, was
quoted by the New Sunday Times as saying the five charges were
withdrawn as Anwar was already serving a 15-year jail term. "It
is known publicly that Anwar had been tried and sentenced to 15
years' jail.

"From the view of the attorney general (Ainum Mohamad Saaid),
she may have thought of the severity of the sentence and there
was no need to continue with other accusations," Rais said.

But defense lawyers said Anwar is innocent and rejected Rais'
explanation, the first from the government. "Our view would be
which we have maintained all along that Anwar is innocent and
there is no evidence to support the charges," Sankara Nair told
AFP.

Nair described Rais' remark as the official line by the
government since prosecutors on Saturday did not give any reasons
for dropping the four charges of sodomy and one of corruption.

"Anwar feels cheated. It is unfair since the charges have
defamed him. Without doubt, Anwar thinks it (the charges) is a
political conspiracy to annihilate his political carrier," Nair
added.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the decision
to drop the charges was not unusual.

"There is nothing unusual and not something that has not been
done before," Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

"Datuk Seri (honorific) Anwar has previously been prosecuted
on several charges and what happened in court, we've all heard.
It is not an unusual move. It happens everywhere," he added.

Anwar was previously jailed for six years for abuse of power
and nine years for sodomy after lengthy and controversial
separate trials. The sentences run consecutively.

State prosecutor Azhar Abdul Hamid told the high court on
Saturday the five charges were being dropped but offered no
reason for the move.

"I shall make an order of acquittal and discharge against
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on all the five charges," said Judge
Augustine Paul.

Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the opposition Democratic Action
Party who welcomed the decision, said prosecutors owed the public
an explanation for their action.

"It had created a great trauma on the national psyche.
(Attorney General) Ainum should be bold enough to cut the Gordian
knot by trying to secure a pardon and a release for Anwar," he
told AFP.

The ex-deputy premier, who is suffering from a slipped disc,
appeared in a wheelchair.

Authorities shifted the hearing to the jail northwest of Kuala
Lumpur after doctors said a journey to the city center courthouse
would aggravate his condition.

Anwar says he was framed on all charges, including those on
which he has been convicted, to avert a challenge to veteran
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahathir denies interfering in the courts and says he sacked
his former heir apparent in September 1998 for immorality.

Anwar was sacked as deputy premier and finance minister on
Sept. 2, 1998. He was arrested 18 days later after leading mass
anti-government protests.

In April 1999 he was convicted of four counts of corruption
and jailed for six years. The appeal court rejected his plea and
a further appeal to the federal (highest) court is pending.

In August 2000, Anwar was convicted on one count of sodomy and
sentenced to a further nine years.