July 18, 2008
Anwar: I had to undergo a strip search
Opposition leader complains he was treated like a major criminal
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
UNITED FRONT: Mr Anwar (seated, centre) gave a press conference at his residence yesterday after his overnight detention by the KL police. He was accompanied by his wife Wan Azizah Ismail (right), lawyers (from left) Sankara Nair and Sivarasa Rasiah and daughter Nurul izzah (standing, far left). Opposition leaders were also in attendance. -- PHOTO: AFP
IN KUALA LUMPUR - OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim emerged from being detained by police overnight and lashed out at the authorities for treating him like a 'major criminal'.
He revealed at a press conference that he was stripped for a full-body examination and his private parts were measured.
Datuk Seri Anwar, who was arrested near his home in a dramatic police swoop on Wednesday afternoon, was released yesterday morning.
He told reporters that he had answered police questions for over five hours, and allowed a physical examination.
'They have seen all my private parts,' he told a packed press conference at his home in the outskirts of the city just hours after he was freed.
'Of course I refused to be photographed, it could be on YouTube very soon! You mean I can trust the system?'
He was taken into custody by police investigating a complaint by his former aide, Mr Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, that he had been sodomised.
A full-body examination of suspects in cases of sexual crimes is not uncommon, but news that the country's opposition chief had been subjected to it left Malaysians shocked.
Mr Anwar was released on police bail from the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
'They have no case against me. I don't deserve this. Why treat me like a major criminal or public enemy?' he said.
He said he refused to give a blood sample to the police on the advice of his lawyers and DNA experts, claiming that the authorities had used an earlier sample to fabricate evidence against him after his arrest in 1998 for sodomy and corruption.
Then deputy premier, he was sacked, tried, convicted and jailed. He was freed in 2004 after serving six years, and the sodomy conviction was later overturned.
'I went through hell in 1998, 1999,' he said to claps from hundreds of supporters.
The police yesterday defended their move to arrest Mr Anwar, saying it was a normal preventive measure. They also said they might get a court order to compel him to provide a DNA sample.
The arrest, an hour before the opposition chief was due to report to the police, has been criticised by opposition leaders as high-handed since he had given his word that he would report for questioning.
Mr Anwar said the police treated him well during his overnight stay, except that he had to sleep on a cold cement floor, with only a towel that his wife had brought him.
'I was left to sleep on a cement floor when I have a back condition...that has exacerbated the pain,' he said.
Mr Anwar, who had spinal surgery in 2004, used a pillow to support his back yesterday. He was also helped in and out of his chair.
He did not answer directly when asked if his Keadilan party would organise rallies to support him, only saying that he already had a number of pre-arranged programmes before he was arrested.
He maintained that the sodomy accusation was a political conspiracy to keep him from seizing power by toppling the federal government.
He said that his plans were still on track, and accused Deputy Premier Najib Razak of being behind the conspiracy.
Datuk Seri Najib is slated to succeed Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi when the latter retires in June 2010.
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Anwar: I had to undergo a strip search
Opposition leader complains he was treated like a major criminal
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
UNITED FRONT: Mr Anwar (seated, centre) gave a press conference at his residence yesterday after his overnight detention by the KL police. He was accompanied by his wife Wan Azizah Ismail (right), lawyers (from left) Sankara Nair and Sivarasa Rasiah and daughter Nurul izzah (standing, far left). Opposition leaders were also in attendance. -- PHOTO: AFP
IN KUALA LUMPUR - OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim emerged from being detained by police overnight and lashed out at the authorities for treating him like a 'major criminal'.
He revealed at a press conference that he was stripped for a full-body examination and his private parts were measured.
Datuk Seri Anwar, who was arrested near his home in a dramatic police swoop on Wednesday afternoon, was released yesterday morning.
He told reporters that he had answered police questions for over five hours, and allowed a physical examination.
'They have seen all my private parts,' he told a packed press conference at his home in the outskirts of the city just hours after he was freed.
'Of course I refused to be photographed, it could be on YouTube very soon! You mean I can trust the system?'
He was taken into custody by police investigating a complaint by his former aide, Mr Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, that he had been sodomised.
A full-body examination of suspects in cases of sexual crimes is not uncommon, but news that the country's opposition chief had been subjected to it left Malaysians shocked.
Mr Anwar was released on police bail from the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
'They have no case against me. I don't deserve this. Why treat me like a major criminal or public enemy?' he said.
He said he refused to give a blood sample to the police on the advice of his lawyers and DNA experts, claiming that the authorities had used an earlier sample to fabricate evidence against him after his arrest in 1998 for sodomy and corruption.
Then deputy premier, he was sacked, tried, convicted and jailed. He was freed in 2004 after serving six years, and the sodomy conviction was later overturned.
'I went through hell in 1998, 1999,' he said to claps from hundreds of supporters.
The police yesterday defended their move to arrest Mr Anwar, saying it was a normal preventive measure. They also said they might get a court order to compel him to provide a DNA sample.
The arrest, an hour before the opposition chief was due to report to the police, has been criticised by opposition leaders as high-handed since he had given his word that he would report for questioning.
Mr Anwar said the police treated him well during his overnight stay, except that he had to sleep on a cold cement floor, with only a towel that his wife had brought him.
'I was left to sleep on a cement floor when I have a back condition...that has exacerbated the pain,' he said.
Mr Anwar, who had spinal surgery in 2004, used a pillow to support his back yesterday. He was also helped in and out of his chair.
He did not answer directly when asked if his Keadilan party would organise rallies to support him, only saying that he already had a number of pre-arranged programmes before he was arrested.
He maintained that the sodomy accusation was a political conspiracy to keep him from seizing power by toppling the federal government.
He said that his plans were still on track, and accused Deputy Premier Najib Razak of being behind the conspiracy.
Datuk Seri Najib is slated to succeed Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi when the latter retires in June 2010.
[email protected]
