Anwar on Stand, Protesters Outside As Trial Resumes 
International Herald Tribune
January 26, 2000
Thomas Fuller

The trial of the most prominent political dissident in Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, resumed Tuesday amid familiar chants of "Reformasi!" outside the capital's courthouse.

Ten protesters were arrested as the police broke up a demonstration of about 200 people near the courtroom where Judge Arifin Jaka reconvened the government's politically charged sodomy case against the former deputy prime minister.

The small protest, which was led by students and members of opposition parties, was a reminder that, 18 months after Mr. Anwar was arrested and beaten, disaffection with politics lingers in Malaysia.

The session Tuesday was Mr. Anwar's first public appearance since the elections in November, in whichPrime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad lost ground to a coalition affiliated with Mr. Anwar.

Mr. Anwar took the stand Tuesday and gave evidence that his lawyers say shows he is the victim of a political conspiracy brought on by people loyal to the prime minister.

"The prime minister was supportive of you to a certain point, and then he took an about-turn. What were the reasons for that?" Mr. Anwar's lawyer, Karpal Singh, asked his client, sitting in the witness box.

"He felt insecure that I might challenge him," Mr. Anwar replied, "despite my repeated assurances to the contrary." He added, "The conspirators seized the opportunity," referring to his dismissal from government 18 months ago.

Mr. Anwar, who often complained of headaches last year, said Tuesday he was feeling "much better" as he signed autographs for admirers in the courtroom gallery.

Mr. Anwar's trial was begun in June but was suspended in November after court clerks told his lawyers that the judge was suffering from a bad back. Opposition politicians said at the time that the suspension was intended to remove Mr. Anwar from the spotlight as the country approached national elections.

If convicted of sodomy, Mr. Anwar could be sentenced to a maximum prison term of 20 years. The former deputy prime minister is already serving six years for abuse of power, a decision that he is appealing.

The government maintains that Mr. Anwar committed sodomy "one night sometime between January and March 1993." Since the sodomy charges were announced 18 months ago, the government has changed the date of the alleged offense twice. Under Malaysian law, prosecutors are allowed to amend their charges at any point during a trial.

Mr. Anwar is accused of sodomizing Azizan Abu Bakar, his wife's former driver, who is scheduled to take the stand after Mr. Anwar.

Lawyers say Mr. Anwar will present his evidence on Wednesday, using his desk diaries and passport to show that he could not have committed the offense during the three months that the government has listed in the amended charges.

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