Anwar on 18-stop tour before Sodomy II verdict

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will be embarking on a whirlwind tour across the peninsula during the run-up to the Sodomy II verdict on Jan 9.

The tour will see Anwar making 18 stops in major towns in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Penang, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, from Jan 3 until 8.

Events will intensify during the weekend, which will see Anwar (right in photo) speaking in three major ceramahevents in the Klang Valley, ahead of the Monday court decision.

Should Anwar be found guilty, it is likely to land the 64-year-old former deputy premier his second jail term ahead of a general election expected in the coming months.

PKR vice-president N Surendran said the tour was necessary to explain BN’s alleged misdeeds on him personally and on the country, as well as the reforms brought by Pakatan Rakyat.

“We believe that there is no reason why he should be jailed. We fully expect the court to do its duty to discharge and acquit him.

“If the worst happens and he is jailed, then this is an opportunity for him to explain and rally the people behind Pakatan Rakyat,” Surendran said.

The tour schedule indicates that Anwar will be speaking in a mix of Pakatan Rakyat- and BN-held areas. Notable BN-held areas include Muar, Bukit Katil, Bentong and Pandan.

Surendran explained that the venues were strategically chosen as part of Pakatan Rakyat’s plans to expand its influence nationally.

“Every area, to us, is a Pakatan area. While we are looking to hold on to our current seats, we are penetrating BN-held areas, too.

“Our tour plan is a reflection of what we have been doing so far,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah will deliver his verdict on Jan 9, after hearing testimony from 27 prosecution and seven defence witnesses.

Anwar is alleged to have sodomised his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara Condominium between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

The politician has said that the charges are politically motivated.