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</td> </tr> <tr><td class="content_subtitle" align="left"> Thu, Feb 18, 2010
The Star/Asia News Network </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15">
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500 stage protest outside Aussie High Commission <!-- TITLE : end--> </td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3" height="15">
</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3" class="bodytext_10pt"> <!-- CONTENT : start --> KUALA LUMPUR- About 500 people protested outside the Australian High Commission here against interference by Australian MPs in the sodomy trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. They carried banners criticising the action of the 50 Australian MPs who signed and handed over a protest note to the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra on Thursday.
Leading the noisy but non-violent protest here were Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, Perkasa president and Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Makkal Sakhthi's R. Thanenthiran and MIC Youth chief T. Mohan. After about 30 minutes, Khairy and the others were invited in to meet High Commissioner Penny Williams at about 10.35am.
Khairy, who is the Rembau MP, said Williams accepted the movement's protest notes and assured him that the Australian Government's policy was not to interfere in the affairs of other countries.
He said he had demanded that the Australian MPs withdraw their protest letter, and for the Australian Parliament's foreign affairs sub-committee chairman Michael Danby to apologise to Malaysia. They also wanted Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to issue a statement reproaching the Australian's lawmakers actions and reaffirming his government's respect for Malaysia's sovereignty.
"The act of these Australian MPs is a clear interference in our internal affairs and an encroachment of our sovereignty and we will not tolerate this," Khairy added. A police light strike force squad kept watch at the High Commission at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng throughout the protest. Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said the situation was under control.
Meanwhile, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator John Kerry has called on the Malaysian Government to provide a fair trial to Anwar. In a statement, he said the current sodomy charges mirrored the charges against the former Deputy Prime Minister more than a decade ago, which was later overturned.
"I urge the Malaysian Government to accord Anwar every legal protection to which he is entitled to as a Member of Parliament and as a citizen, and to settle his case in a manner that builds confidence in the impartiality and credibility of the Malaysian judicial system," he added.
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The Star/Asia News Network </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="15">
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500 stage protest outside Aussie High Commission <!-- TITLE : end--> </td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3" height="15">
Leading the noisy but non-violent protest here were Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin, Perkasa president and Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali, Makkal Sakhthi's R. Thanenthiran and MIC Youth chief T. Mohan. After about 30 minutes, Khairy and the others were invited in to meet High Commissioner Penny Williams at about 10.35am.
Khairy, who is the Rembau MP, said Williams accepted the movement's protest notes and assured him that the Australian Government's policy was not to interfere in the affairs of other countries.
He said he had demanded that the Australian MPs withdraw their protest letter, and for the Australian Parliament's foreign affairs sub-committee chairman Michael Danby to apologise to Malaysia. They also wanted Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to issue a statement reproaching the Australian's lawmakers actions and reaffirming his government's respect for Malaysia's sovereignty.
"The act of these Australian MPs is a clear interference in our internal affairs and an encroachment of our sovereignty and we will not tolerate this," Khairy added. A police light strike force squad kept watch at the High Commission at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng throughout the protest. Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Comm Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said the situation was under control.
Meanwhile, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Senator John Kerry has called on the Malaysian Government to provide a fair trial to Anwar. In a statement, he said the current sodomy charges mirrored the charges against the former Deputy Prime Minister more than a decade ago, which was later overturned.
"I urge the Malaysian Government to accord Anwar every legal protection to which he is entitled to as a Member of Parliament and as a citizen, and to settle his case in a manner that builds confidence in the impartiality and credibility of the Malaysian judicial system," he added.
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