PKR: Don't use hospital to defend stripping
Malaysiakini.com
Jul 21, 2008

PKR today expressed regret that hospital authorities are being used to defend the stripping of its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
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In a statement today, party vice-president R Sivarasa said the incident was a direct consequence of his arrest by the police and their order for a medical examination.

anwar ibrahim freed from police ipk detention pc 170708 09"There is no question that Anwar was stripped naked during the course of the medical examination.

"There is also no question that when he agreed to such an examination, he was under police custody and subject to their directions for the purpose of the police investigation," he added.

Sivarasa, who is also Anwar’s lawyer, said the party has no quarrel with the hospital authorities who had no choice but to perform their duties as required by the police.

"Our issues remain with the police who abused their power in arresting Anwar in the manner they did, directing a medical examination of him whilst under custody and then remanding him overnight for purely punitive purposes," he added.

Anwar was arrested on July 16 in connection with a sodomy allegation against him. He was later taken to the Kuala Lumpur hospital for a medical examination.

The opposition leader was subjected to a basic check-up after he refused to undergo a full medical examination and provide the authorities with a DNA sample.

Apart from being stripped naked, Anwar also claimed that his "private and other necessary parts" were measured.

On Saturday, the hospital issued a statement stating that the opposition leader's "decency" was not violated by the medical exam.

Its director Dr Zaininah Mohd Zain said Anwar was never violated and had given his permission for the exam.

"Only after having obtained his written consent did they proceed with the examination.

"He was then examined by the two specialists who adhered to proper clinical procedures during the whole course of the examination. At no time throughout the examination was his decency violated," she was quoted as saying in news reports.

'Suspend Gani and Musa'

In a related development, PKR Youth chief Syamsul Iskandar said both attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and inspector-general of police Musa Hassan should be suspended from duty.

Gani and Musa are currently being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency following Anwar’s allegation that they fabricated evidence in his1998 trials.

In a statement, Syamsul said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s assurance that Gani and Musa will not be involved in the current case cannot be trusted.

"Gani and Musa’s involvement cannot be denied if we observe the recent ‘desperado’ manner in which Anwar was arrested.

"The fact that the police have to get a new DNA sample from Anwar also seems to point to the same conclusion," he said, adding that the police already have his DNA from the previous sodomy investigation.

"This clearly shows that if Anwar is to provide the police with a new DNA sample, it would be used to complement the conspiracy against him (Anwar)," he alleged.

He also said Abdullah’s denial that Gani would not be involved in the case was ironic as Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution states that the AG has discretionary powers to carry out or stop any court hearing in regard to any offence.

"Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code also states that the AG shall be the public prosecutor and has the control and discretion of all criminal prosecutions and proceedings under this code," he added.

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