This follows the revelation by Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s father yesterday, who claimed that the sodomy charge was fabricated in an “evil political conspiracy” involving his son.
“Azlan Lazim’s statement vindicates Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) consistent position that the Sodomy II charges are a vicious political conspiracy,” PKR vice-president N. Surendran (picture) said in a statement here.
Surendran also asked for an open and unconditional apology from the government and Barisan Nasional (BN) towards Anwar, his family and the Malaysian public.
In a heavily-guarded press conference yesterday, Azlan, 60, alleged that the conspiracy was planned by a special officer in the Prime Minister’s Department and was engineered to tarnish Anwar’s image with another sodomy charge, the opposition leader’s second since he lost his post in government in 1998.
Azlan, who was not with his son at the press conference called by PKR’s Datuk Johari Abdul, apologised to Anwar and his family over the incident, admitting the episode had put them through much pain and suffering.
His son Saiful Bukhari Azlan has denied any political conspiracy and expressed surprise at his father’s claim.
On January 9 last year, the High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar of sodomising Saiful, 27, at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara here between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
Anwar’s acquittal last year was highly-publicised, drawing the attention of thousands of people who camped outside the High Court as judgment was delivered, as well as hundreds of international media and political observers.
The veteran politician, who had earlier sued Saiful for wrongfully accusing him of sodomy, later withdrew the suit, saying his reputation had been vindicated by the acquittal.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has appealed the acquittal, however, and hearing in the Court of Appeal has been set for July 22.