Syed Hamid: Let police do their job
Malaysiakini.com
Jun 30, 2008
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar today said the police should be allowed to carry out their duties in investigating the claims contained in Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's report that has been lodged against Anwar Ibrahim.
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Denying that Anwar's life was under any danger, Syed Hamid pointed out that Anwar has been enjoying freedom to travel throughout the country and internationally, as well as issuing various political statements.

syed hamid albar 170608 talking"Anwar's life has never been in danger. I think he's trying to throw aspersions on the enforcement agencies. It's something that is not fair (for Anwar to do)," Syed Hamid told reporters when met in Parliament lobby.

He also brushed aside concerns that Anwar's safety could not be guaranteed in the event he was arrested.

PKR leaders have pointed out that in 1998 when Anwar was first arrested for sodomy and corruption offences, he was subjected to severe physical abuse under detention.

However Syed Hamid said that the person responsible for beatings - the then police chief Rahim Noor - were charged and punished for his actions.

"It has nothing do with his imprisonment. The person who was responsible was taken action against," said the minister.

Rahim was found guilty of the assault on Anwar and pleaded guilty to the offence on March 15, 2000 at the Sessions Court. He served the two months jail sentence and paid the RM2,000 fine after the Appeals Court upheld the imposition of both penalties on May 22, 2001.

The government, in its statement of defence, said that the injuries sustained by Anwar were caused solely by Rahim who had acted on his own accord.

Syed Hamid also said he can give his "guarantee that Anwar's life will not be disturbed if the police do (their) investigations."

"There is a system of laws (that) we have to respect," he said.

Anwar who is holed up at the Turkish embassy for fear of an assassination attempt on him had said that he would come out to face the sodomy probe if the government could guarantee his safety.

Gaining sympathy

Syed Hamid also accused of Anwar of repeating an 'act' undertaken upon his arrest ten years ago by alleging the death threats to his life in order to gain sympathy from within and outside the country.

Just as he had claimed he had been poisoned in 1999, Anwar is now alleging he has been targeted for assassination, said Syed Hamid.

anwar ibrahim pkr quality hotel images 300608 02"He wants to gain sympathy and make (it seem) as if his life is in danger (and that's he is forced to) seeking political asylum," he said.

Syed Hamid also said that the Turkish embassy's agreement to accommodate Anwar did not amount to intervention in a matter of Malaysian domestic politics.

"Turkey did not intervene. He (Anwar) went to the Turkish embassy on his own accord.

"He asked for an appointment, he went to see the ambassador, the ambassador met him, and subsequently, he did not want to get out. I think this is something that has to be dealt with by the foreign ministry," he said.

"Turkey does not interfere in our internal affairs. But the fact that Anwar is inside there, they have to deal with it. They (also) have to deal with our foreign ministry," he added. 

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