SODOMY II "EVIL CONSPIRACY": Anwar thanks Saiful's father but says NO DIFFERENCE to him

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim thanked the father of his sodomy accuser for revealing that it was a conspiracy concocted by those close to Prime Minister Najib Razak in a bid to stop his political advance.

"Frankly, there is not much difference to me. The courts have already acquitted me. But I thank him," Anwar told Malaysia Chronicle at the sidelines of a mammoth political rally held in Penang on Friday.

Azlan Mohd Lazim, the father of Saiful Bukhari, had told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur that Anwar was innocent and that his son had been used as part of an "evil conspiracy" to slander the Opposition leader. 

“I deeply regret all the slander hurled against Anwar which involved my son, Saiful Bukhari. Anwar is innocent and a victim of this slander. I apologise to Anwar and his family. He and his family have suffered a lot as a result of this slander,” Azlan had said.

Connection to Najib

According to the 60-year-old Azlan, all of his media statements as well as Saiful's were prepared by a lawyer and an official from the PM's office.

“They are the masterminds behind all the sodomy slander against Anwar, which involved my son. I have never been contacted by any quarters to obtain my statement as his father from the beginning to the end of the trial,” said Azlan.

He also said Saiful never told him of the sodomy and that he had learned about it from the government-controlled mass media. Neither has the government - the police or the Attorney-General Chambers - met him or asked for his opinion about the sodomy case.

All eyes are now on the identities of the lawyer and the official in the PM's office who had allegedly directed the Sodomy II script.

Appeal

Despite the infamy the case has brought to Malaysia, with international tycoons like Richard Branson condemning the government's persecution of Anwar, the Attorney-General has appealed the acquittal, arguing that Saiful was entitled to justice.The appeal is due to be heard on July 22.

Azlan has said he does not plan to urge his son to withdraw the appeal or to drop any charges.

“It is up to my son to evaluate the situation and decide for himself. I do not want to comment on the court case (Court of Appeal) which is still ongoing... but what I revealed today is on voluntary basis,” said Azlan.

Meanwhile, Saiful has denied his father's admission.

“No, as I mentioned earlier no. There is no political conspiracy in this,” Saiful, who previously as a staffer in Anwar's office, told a separate press conference.

Malaysia Chronicle