Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor shocked Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and his defense team when they suddenly turned up at the court complex without notice, but refused to be interviewed or agree to take the witness stand when the government's controversial sodomy trial resumes.
"Both of them said they did not want to be interviewed nor be witnesses. I don't know why they are so afraid of going to court. I had expected them to show more responsibility and to volunteer, especially Rosmah who was implicated quite a bit in Saiful's testimony," defense counsel Karpal Singh told reporters after the couple had left.
Even Anwar, who was also present, said he had expected both the PM and Rosmah to be "more co-operative".
It is strange then why the first couple went to the court complex then when they had no intention to be interviewed, but already the mainstream media especially the Malay press is already blaring that Najib and Rosmah had already presented themselves to be interviwed.
Pundits say this was to give rural Malays and the UMNO grassroots the impression that the first couple was not afraid and had nothing to hide, in complete contrast to what actually happened. The brazeness of their behaviour shocked many in the Pakatan Rakyat, but these are dire times for the embattled Najib and Rosmah.
Already, in traditional UMNO fashion, books are being written and sold ahead of the party's general assembly slated for December that Najib will be the last Prime Minister. On Facebook, comments alluding to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin succeeding him are rampant and mock-ups of Muhyiddin's purported Cabinet even drawn up and posted.
No interviews, not taking witness stand
Nonetheless, the couple arrived at the Jalan Duta Court Complex, made their way through the basement and took the lift up to the 7th floor. They were met by defence lawyers Karpal Singh, Sankara Nair and Param Cumaraswamy. Anwar was also present.
"Just 5 minutes before 3pm, I was shocked when I was told they were waiting to be interviewed," Sankara told reporters, adding that the first couple however quickly made it clear that they had no intention to be interviewed or to go to court unless they were subponaed.
"It is a real disgrace that Najib did not agree to the interview even when ordered by the court. One would think a sitting Prime Minister would set an example by facilitating the administration of justice. Further, the fact that Najib clandestinely met Saiful irredeemably taints the prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim," PKR vice president N Surendran told Malaysia Chronicle.
Indeed, the first couple have resisted co-operating in the trial, prompting accusations that they were 'guilty as charged'. Najib had met sodomy complainant just before the complainant lodged the police report that led to the current case. But despite knowing that Anwar stands to face jail of up to 20 years if found guilty, neither Najib nor Rosmah showed any sign of social responsiblity nor civic consciousness in agreeing to co-operate in the trial.
The 64-year old Anwar has denied ever sodomising Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a former party worker, and has accused Najib and Rosmah of rehashing a 1998 sodomy plot to derail his political career.Indeed, the sudden appearance of Saiful's sodomy accusations coincided with Anwar's announcement in mid 2008 that he would make a comeback to Parliament.
That reportedly sparked enough worry in the Najib camp, as many in the UMNO top leadership were still unsure if Najib was the right person to lead their party and be PM. Najib had then been the Deputy Prime Minister and took over only in April 2009 after staging an internal coup against Abdullah Badawi.
Interviews not completed
Meanwhile, according to Karpal, former Malacca police chief Mohd Rodhwan Mohd Yusof also came to the court complex, and used the same tactic of refusing to be interviewed.
The defense has so far managed to interview Hasanuddin Abdul Hamid, who is the owner of the condominium unit where Saiful was allegedly sodomised, as well as Hasanuddin’s wife and sister-in-law.
Karpal also said Anwar’s trial will not resume on Monday as the defence team had yet to interview ex-IGP Musa Hassan, Hasanuddin’s two former Indonesian maids, and three other witnesses.
"The trial won't resume on Monday, we will ask for a few days," said Karpal.
- Malaysia Chronicle
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