Anwar says vindicated by apology from Saiful’s dad

GEORGE TOWN, March 9 — The public apology from Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, had vindicated him of the sodomy charges levelled against him, said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

 “God is great, they can conspire once, twice, in 1998 and again 2008, and now the conspiracy is out in the open as revealed by Azlan,” he told the crowd of almost 10,000 at Pakatan Rakyat’s fifth anniversary rally at Esplanade here last night.

“I have always maintained my innocence for the first case as well as last year’s case. The court also freed me of the charge last year,” he said.

The PKR chief said the confession by Saiful’s father has revealed the conspiracy against him.
He also credited “the power of prayer” for allowing the truth to prevail.

Later, at a press conference, the former deputy prime minister said he was thankful that Azlan had came forward with the truth and shed light on the conspiracy.

Azlan had revealed in a press conference yesterday that his son was used by unnamed quarters, including an officer from the Prime Minister’s Department, to defame Anwar with sodomy charges.

The 60-year-old had claimed that all media statements by him and Saiful had been prepared by a special officer in the Prime Minister’s Department together with a lawyer.

On January 9 last year, the High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar of sodomising Mohd Saiful, 27, at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara here between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

Anwar, 65, was charged under section 377B of the Penal Code, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers filed an appeal against the decision and the Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear the case on July 22.