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.