KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — The father of Saiful Bukhari Azlan publicly admitted today that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy charge was an “evil political conspiracy” involving his son.
In a heavily-guarded press conference here, the 60-year-old Azlan Mohd Lazim alleged that the conspiracy was planned by a special officer in the Prime Minister’s Department and was engineered to tarnish Anwar’s image with another sodomy charge, the opposition leader’s second since he lost his post in government in 1998.
Azlan, who was not with his son at the press conference called by PKR’s Johari Abdul, apologised to Anwar and his family over the incident, admitting the episode had put them through much pain and suffering.
“It was a political conspiracy to charge Anwar for the second time. I apologise to Anwar and his family,” he said.
“Everything was planned in great detail by a special officer in the PM’s Department,” he alleged. “Even the script I read during the press conference after Anwar’s sodomy acquittal last year was prepared by this officer.”
Azlan added that his sudden defence of Anwar today, five years after the latter was charged in court, comes after years of compiling information on the case, both during the sodomy trial and from details delivered to him from outside informers.
He said the truth was finally clear to him.
“My son himself has never explained the [sodomy] incident and the accusation to me... I was never called as a witness in the case.
“I was never called by any party to offer my statement as the father, from the start to the end of the trial,” he pointed out.
To a question, however, Azlan said he has no plans to urge his son to withdraw his appeal against Anwar and drop all charges, saying it was up to Mohd Saiful to make his own decision.
“It is up to my son to evaluate the situation and decide for himself.
“I do not want to comment on the court case (Court of Appeal) which is still ongoing... but what I revealed today is on voluntary basis,” he said.
Azlan also called on all Malaysians not to believe the “slander” against Anwar, urging more to rally behind the opposition leader.
On January 9 last year, the High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar of sodomising Mohd Saiful, 27, at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara here between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
Anwar, 65, was charged under section 377B of the Penal Code, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
The former deputy prime minister was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.
He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.
He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.
Anwar’s acquittal last year was highly-publicised, drawing the attention of thousands of people who camped outside the High Court as judgment was delivered, as well as hundreds of international media and political observers.
The veteran politician, who had earlier sued Mohd Saiful for wrongfully accusing him of sodomy, later withdrew the suit, saying his reputation had been vindicated by the acquittal.
In a heavily-guarded press conference here, the 60-year-old Azlan Mohd Lazim alleged that the conspiracy was planned by a special officer in the Prime Minister’s Department and was engineered to tarnish Anwar’s image with another sodomy charge, the opposition leader’s second since he lost his post in government in 1998.
Azlan, who was not with his son at the press conference called by PKR’s Johari Abdul, apologised to Anwar and his family over the incident, admitting the episode had put them through much pain and suffering.
“It was a political conspiracy to charge Anwar for the second time. I apologise to Anwar and his family,” he said.
“Everything was planned in great detail by a special officer in the PM’s Department,” he alleged. “Even the script I read during the press conference after Anwar’s sodomy acquittal last year was prepared by this officer.”
Azlan added that his sudden defence of Anwar today, five years after the latter was charged in court, comes after years of compiling information on the case, both during the sodomy trial and from details delivered to him from outside informers.
He said the truth was finally clear to him.
“My son himself has never explained the [sodomy] incident and the accusation to me... I was never called as a witness in the case.
“I was never called by any party to offer my statement as the father, from the start to the end of the trial,” he pointed out.
To a question, however, Azlan said he has no plans to urge his son to withdraw his appeal against Anwar and drop all charges, saying it was up to Mohd Saiful to make his own decision.
“It is up to my son to evaluate the situation and decide for himself.
“I do not want to comment on the court case (Court of Appeal) which is still ongoing... but what I revealed today is on voluntary basis,” he said.
Azlan also called on all Malaysians not to believe the “slander” against Anwar, urging more to rally behind the opposition leader.
On January 9 last year, the High Court acquitted and discharged Anwar of sodomising Mohd Saiful, 27, at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara here between 3.10pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.
Anwar, 65, was charged under section 377B of the Penal Code, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
The former deputy prime minister was charged with sodomy and corruption in 1998 after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences.
He was freed in September 2004 and later resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.
He had earlier led the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), to a historic sweep of five states and 82 parliamentary seats in Election 2008.
Anwar’s acquittal last year was highly-publicised, drawing the attention of thousands of people who camped outside the High Court as judgment was delivered, as well as hundreds of international media and political observers.
The veteran politician, who had earlier sued Mohd Saiful for wrongfully accusing him of sodomy, later withdrew the suit, saying his reputation had been vindicated by the acquittal.
