Anwar confident he won't be imprisoned
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 21, 2014

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is confident that he will not be behind bars after the Federal Court hears his appeals next week as "there is no reason", whether legally or politically, to convict him.
 
He said the Court of Appeal, which convicted him earlier this year of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, did so to prevent him from running in the Kajang by-election.
 
"If it is according to the laws, I will not be imprisoned. If I were afraid of the laws, I would not have returned (from overseas).
 
"They will not be able to convict me because there is no evidence. What reason are they going to use this time?
 
"The Kajang by-election is over," he said, when met by reporters at the 'Rakyat Hakim Negara' campaign in Klang today.

Anwar also denied that it was a "desperate" attempt by him to garner support from other countries in relation to his sodomy case which will be heard on Oct 28 and 29.

He explained that his statement to the international media was simply proof that he and other leaders were consistent in their stand against injustice.

"Didn't Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak ever ask for help from US President Barack Obama?

"For example, why do we support Gaza? Because of the injustice of the Israeli regime.

"Why do we voice out about the plight of the Rohingyas? Because of the cruelty they face."

He said the solidarity campaign should not be judged from the viewpoint of the government's media alone but also based on what the rakyat feel (about fighting injustice).

"This is not about Anwar alone. If your father gets imprisoned and he is not guilty, wouldn't you defend him?" he asked.

'Preparing the strongest PKR team'

Meanwhile, the PKR de facto leader denied that vice-president Rafizi Ramli's appointment as the party's secretary-general was to "keep in check" deputy president Azmin Ali.

Anwar stressed that Rafizi's appointment was made to prepare the "strongest PKR team" in facing political challenges come the next general election.

"Why is there a need to keep him (Azmin) in check? We support him as menteri besar and we support him as the party deputy president.

"Why is Umno trying to pit PKR members against each other? We simply need a solid team," he said.

Rafizi's appointment, as well as those of several 'pro-Anwar' leaders to important party posts, was seen by analysts as a way for him to control Azmin's team in the party.

Anwar claimed that the controversy had started after the spreading of an email which alleged Rafizi as having suggested to Anwar to ask Azmin to sign an undated resignation letter before he was sworn in as menteri besar.

The Permatang Pauh MP however said that it was nothing but slander made by bloggers and the Umno media. He also claimed not to have received the email.

"The email was supposedly sent to me, but I didn't receive it. I even searched my email for it," he said.

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