Anwar 'could be target of smear campaign'

Anwar 'could be target of smear campaign'

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Sex allegations against sacked Malaysian finance minister Anwar Ibrahim are false and apparently part of a shadowy conspiracy to smear him, the capital's High Court was told on Friday.

Outgoing Special Branch Director Mohamed Said Awang, in the witness box for the fourth day, read a report he sent to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad concluding the allegations were false and appeared "deliberately created".

The sister of Anwar's former private secretary, Ummi Hafilda Ali, and his former driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, accused Anwar in August 1997 of sodomy and adultery.

They later retracted the allegations, which are at the heart of Anwar's corruption and sex trial.

"Through our sources, the allegations do not have, (or) contain, any proof, and the sequence of events appears to be deliberately created," said Said, reading the report he gave the prime minister in August 1997.

"Apart from that, there are indications that there exists a certain group that may have their own agenda and played a role behind the scenes to urge Ummi and Azizan to smear Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," he said, quoting the report.

Anwar has pleaded not guilty to five counts of corruption and five of sodomy. Initially, the court is examining four corruption charges that allege Anwar used his power to interfere with Mohamed Said's investigation into the sex accusations.

The trial is at the center of political unrest in Malaysia, with Anwar supporters mounting sporadic anti-government street protests in Kuala Lumpur since Anwar was arrested on Sept. 20.

The prosecution, bowing to a request by the defense, submitted the report to the court on Friday morning. Defense lawyers pounced on the document to buttress Anwar's contention that he was a victim of a plot by supporters of Mahathir to drive him from power.

Mahathir has called Anwar morally unfit.

Before the trial adjourned for the weekend, Anwar's lawyer Christopher Fernando asked Mohamad Said to produce another report the defense counsel said named a string of powerful figures close to the prime minister.

Fernando said the second report, dated Sept. 3, mentioned Special Functions Minister Daim Zainuddin, Domestic Trade Minister Megat Junid Megat Ayob, former Malacca state chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik and Mahathir's political secretary Aziz Shamsuddin.

Mohamed Said, who drew gasps from the courtroom on Thursday when he said under cross-examination that he would break the law and lie if told to by his superiors, said he did not think a second report existed.

But Fernando insisted there was.

Judge Augustine Paul, who will eventually pronounce the verdict in the case since there is no jury system in Malaysia, asked the prosecution to try to obtain a copy of the report.

Mohamed Said, who leaves the police later this month after 30 years, told the court earlier this week that Anwar had urged police to get Ummi and Azizan to retract their allegations.

But in his report to Mahathir on Aug. 20, 1997, the police officer said Ummi and Azizan retracted their accusations voluntarily. He said he attached their written apologies to the report.