Sodomy II to resume at 2pm, Karpal to appear

Anwar, Karpal in Parliament

Malaysia Chronicle

The sodomy trial against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been postponed to 2pm after the court refused to give more time for lead defense counsel Karpal Singh to recover.

The 70-year old Karpal was taken ill over the weekend with diarrhea and suspected dengue. According to his aides, the dengue tests have turned out negative, but Karpal is still weak and recovering.

Nevertheless, he has informed he will try his best to appear at 2pm.

In the event that he is unable to do so, other members of his team will take over. These include Param Cumaraswamy, CV Prabhakaran, Sankara Nair, Ram Karpal and Marissa Regina Christopher Fernando.

Today's hearing will be closely followed as Karpal is due to zoom in on a medical report that was 'hidden' by the prosecution. The report signed by three doctors at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur was done after the completed their examination of him on June 28, 2008.

However, the medical report that the prosecution tendered as evidence is dated July 30, 2008, and contains a very brief description - only two lines - about the complainant Saiful Bukhari Azlan's medical history and background.

Anwar's supporters have minced no words, lambasting the government for refusing to give the defense team access to all relevant documents - citing the latest attempt to hide crucial information as further proof of Prime Minister Najib Razak's bad faith in wanting to lock up his arch political rival ahead of general elections that are widely expected to be called in 2011.

Anwar, the 62-year-old PKR adviser, was accused of sodomizing Saiful at Unit 11-5-1 of the Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

He has denied the charges and accused Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor of collaborating with Saiful to frame him and derail his political comeback. At first Najib denied ever meeting Saiful, but later admitted to having met him. It was after this meeting that Saiful lodged the police complaint that led to the government's prosecution of Anwar.