Anwar’s trial tomorrow : What chaos?

Don’t disrupt court process, PKR told

Hafiz Yatim Jul 7, 09 10:55am malaysiakini.com

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, has warned PKR Youth leader Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin “not to create chaos” at the Jalan Duta court complex when the sodomy trial against Anwar Ibrahim begins tomorrow.

Hishammuddin said PKR supporters should let the law take its course and not disrupt the hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

“I don’t have a problem if the gathering is done within the perimeters of the law and does not disrupt the court process,” he told reporters yesterday in Manek Urai.

“However, let me warn that if they create chaos and go against the law (to) disrupt security and the judiciary, the authorities will certainly react.”

The minister pointed out that the PKR should respect the judicial process since it advocates a free and independent judiciary.

“We too would like to prove to the world that the judiciary is transparent, just and independent. The public should have trust in the judiciary,” he said.

Shamsul Iskandar is said to be planning a 5,000-strong gathering as a show of support for the party de facto leader. The group is dubbed the ‘public movement to reject conspiracy against Anwar’ or Kejam by its Malay acronym.

He claimed that the gathering is not out to create chaos, but to express solidarity with Anwar.

Anwar (right), 62, is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara Condominium sometime on June 26, 2008.

His appeal to have the case be transferred back to the Sessions Court was dismissed by the appellate court.

By-election prospects

On the Manek Urai by-election, Hishammuddin said it is not impossible for Barisan Nasional (BN) to wrest the state seat from PAS, although it is an opposition stronghold.

“If we work hard, with unity among the component parties, and (if we) work as a team, we will win,” he said.

The by-election will see a straight fight between Mohd Fauzi Abdullah of PAS and Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat of BN on July 14.