Courtroom clashes mar Anwar trial

Courtroom clashes mar Anwar trial

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Defense lawyers clashed with the judge and the prosecution on Wednesday as they were blocked from posing questions to a witness they said would unveil a conspiracy to oust Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

Presiding Judge Augustine Paul refused to allow lawyers in Anwar's corruption trial to ask a prosecution witness whether the former deputy premier's sacking was approved by the king as required under Malaysian law.

"The defense of the accused is there was a political conspiracy to bring the charges. We say these are trumped up charges to remove the accused and to destroy him politically," lead defense lawyer Christopher Fernando told the court.

Anwar has denied 10 charges of corruption and sodomy brought after his sacking as deputy premier and finance minister on Sept. 2 by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Justice Paul said Fernando's question to Alias Ali, deputy secretary of the cabinet in the prime minister's department in charge of keeping personal records on cabinet ministers, was irrelevant.

"There's a relevance because it is part of a conspiracy to bring about these charges and a conspiracy to remove him from the positions he held," Fernando argued.

"We will endeavor to show that the witnesses, the crucial witnesses of the prosecution, will give perjured evidence. In other words, they will be lying in court.

"If you don't allow us to ask these questions, you will deprive us of a fair opportunity to get to the truth of it."

Fernando's comments brought a sharp response from chief prosecutor, Abdul Gani Patail, who accused him of politicking. "The defense is going into a political speech. That should be in parliament. Counsel should not abuse its position in court," he warned.

The judge agreed, refusing to allow the question.

Anwar's trial on four charges that he used his high position to stamp out a police investigation into sex charges against him entered its eighth day Wednesday, with five new witnesses including Alias and two police officers called to the stand. So far, only seven out of 52 witnesses have testified.

Meanwhile, a message by Anwar was posted on the Internet on Wednesday, charging that Mahathir would impose a state of emergency on Malaysia once next week's APEC summit is over.

In his longest statement since he was arrested nearly two months ago, Anwar said Mahathir, 73, "survives only because he is able to use the instruments of government to create a climate of fear.

"Eventually in a desperate bid to remain in power, he will declare a state of emergency. The hints are already there," the statement said.

Mahathir, who has been in office for 17 years, defended the sacking of his former protege.

"I felt he was not compatible for the role he is going to play as premier," Mahathir told Cable News Network in a live interview late on Tuesday. "This moral issue we cannot accept."

U.S. President Bill Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien have both refused to hold the traditional one-on-one talks with Mahathir when they arrive next week for the annual meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.