Lawyers Say Malaysia Bars Visit to Anwar
International Herald Tribune
October 5, 1998
Thomas Fuller

Lawyers for Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's former deputy prime minister, said Sunday that they had not been allowed contact with their client since seeing him at a hearing last week.

Mr. Anwar is due back in court Monday, when lawyers expect a date to be set for his trial on corruption and sodomy charges.

But one of nine lawyers representing Mr. Anwar said all she expected was to be able to "whisper a few words to him and then he will be whisked away by the police."

'We have written several times to the authorities," said Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, the lawyer. "Our letters are not acknowledged."

Mr. Anwar, who until a few weeks ago was the second most powerful politician in Malaysia, has been detained by the police under the Internal Security Act since Sept. 20, the day Mr. Anwar led the largest political rally in this city's history.

Since his detention, he has not been allowed visits by relatives or lawyers. The police say that is standard practice for someone held under the country's Internal Security Act.

"If we cannot get instructions nor discuss the case with our client then obviously we won't be able to prepare," said Mrs. Kamar.

Mr. Anwar underwent medical checks over the weekend at a government hospital, following a court order. The results are to be submitted soon.

Last week, making his first appearance since his detention, Mr. Anwar told the court he had been blindfolded and beaten by the police until he was semi-conscious. He had bruises on his face, neck and arm.

At stake in the affair is the credibility of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, who dismissed Mr. Anwar as deputy prime minister last month, setting off a public battle between him and his former heir-apparent.

Mr. Anwar was charged last week of having "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" with, among other people, his adopted brother, a speechwriter and his wife's driver.

In Kuala Lumpur, small-scale street demonstrations resumed Sunday but nothing on the scale of the rallies led by Mr. Anwar before he was detained.

Copyright © 2006 the International Herald Tribune