Court farce

Every event surrounding the treatment of deposed Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim since his trials began for corruption, and then sodomy, has been a travesty of justice. If he carries through his threat to abandon his defense and face whatever fate the court decides, a travesty is how it will end.

Anwar's exasperation is understandable. His defense is based on the claim that the sodomy charge is a political conspiracy. Witnesses have come forward to say his accusers were paid, or coerced, to make the allegations.

But Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who would have been a key witness, will not appear because the judge has decreed there is not "an iota" of evidence Dr. Mahathir was involved. If he had come forward to testify, Malaysians would have been able to judge that for themselves. But there cannot be many remaining in the country who have much faith left in the judicial process.

From the time Anwar appeared bruised in the dock from his battering at the hands of the police chief, to the storming of the National Mosque on Tuesday, the arrest of opposition leaders attached to the Keadilan party of Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Ismail, and the detention of peaceful supporters who attended a rally calling for the resignation of Dr. Mahathir, it has been clear that not only the system of justice, but also the democratic process has been abandoned in Malaysia.

Even the privilege accorded to lawyers to speak freely in court was overturned when Anwar's defense counsel filed an application to remove two prosecutors. The lawyer has been jailed for six years. The police chief who beat Anwar was sentenced to two months.

The fate to which Anwar now seems resigned could be 20 years in jail. But on past record, it might make very little difference to the judgment or the punishment whether he fights to the finish.

However, the affair will not end there. There have already been repercussions as a result of this cruel farce. Anwar may be locked away for decades, but it is Dr. Mahathir's reputation that has suffered the greatest harm.

-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong