Malaysia police report on Anwar
02:47 a.m. Nov 06, 1998 Eastern
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Following is the text of a report by
police Special Branch Director Mohamed Said Awang into allegations of
sexual misconduct by sacked Malaysian finance minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The report, dated August 20, 1997, was given to Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad.
The text was translated from Bahasa Malaysia by Reuters. It reads:
``ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DATO' SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM
Allow me with the utmost respect and greetings to enclose together
with this the written confessions of Ummi Hafilda Ali and Azizan Abu
Bakar dated August 18 1997, which they have made voluntarily to be
submitted to Dato' Seri (Mahathir).
2. The written confessions were obtained following investigations into
the poison-pen letter entitled ``Talqin Terbuka Anwar Ibrahim'' (The
Open Eulogy of Anwar Ibrahim). Based on the poison-pen letter, a
police report was made by ASP (Assistant Superintendent of Police)
Zull Aznam Haji Harun, the police aide-de-camp of Dato' Seri Anwar
Ibrahim, on August 15, 1997. Prior to this, police have also received
a copy of a 19-page report entitled ``The Wrongdoings of the Deputy
Prime Minister'' dated August 5, 1997, addressed to Dato Seri'
(Mahathir). That report was signed by Ummi Hafilda Ali.
3. Based on the report of ASP Zull Aznam, the police had arrested Ummi
Hafilda Ali and Azizan Abu Bakar on August 17, 1997, under Section
4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948. After their testimony was obtained,
they were released on August 18, 1997, on police bail. Their testimony
shows that the allegations made are baseless and are more dependent on
imagination and assumption. The main factor that drove Ummi Hafilda
Ali to produce the report entitled ``The Wrongdoings of the Deputy
Prime Minister'' was based on suspicion that her sister-in-law,
Shamsidar Taharin, was having an affair with Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Shamsidar Taharin is the wife of Mohamed Azmin Ali, the private
secretary of the deputy prime minister. Azizan Abu Bakar made the
allegations because he was influenced by the convictions of Ummi
Hafilda Ali, and as driver for Mohamed Azmin Ali's family, he disliked
the arrogant attitude of Shamsidar Taharin.
Through our sources, the allegations do not have, (or) contain, any
proof, and the sequence of events appears to be deliberately created.
Apart from that, there are indications that there exists a certain
group that may have their own agenda and played a role behind the
scenes to urge Ummi Hafilda Ali and Azizan Abu Bakar to smear Dato'
Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
One of them is Muhamad Taib, who is said to claim to be a Special
Branch officer to the prime minister. Muhamad Taib has been identified
as Mohd Taib Salamon, an ex-police inspector who has been sacked.
Based on the inquiry at this juncture, my office does not propose to
scrutinise this case in the fullest of detail.
Signed
Dato' Mohamed Said Bin Awang
Director of the Special Branch
(under the orders of the Inspector General of Police)
The Royal Malaysian Police''
(Ends text)Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon__________________________________________________________________
FOCUS-Anwar may have been target of smear campaign
01:05 a.m. Nov 06, 1998 Eastern
By K. Baranee Krishnaan
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Sex allegations against Anwar Ibrahim
were false and possibly part of a shadowy conspiracy to smear the
former finance minister, a Malaysian court was told on Friday.
Outgoing Special Branch Director Mohamed Said Awang, in the witness
box for the fourth day, read to the capital's High Court the summary
of a report he sent to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in August 1997
concluding that the allegations were false and appeared ``deliberately
created.''
The sister of Anwar's former private secretary, Ummi Hafilda Ali, and
his former driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, accused Anwar in August 1997 of
sodomy and adultery.
They later retracted the allegations, which are at the heart of
Anwar's corruption and sex trial.
``Through our sources, the allegations do not have, (or) contain, any
proof, and the sequence of events appears to be deliberately
created,'' said Mohamed Said, reading the report.
``Apart from that, there are indications that there exists a certain
group that may have their own agenda and played a role behind the
scenes to urge Ummi and Azizan to smear Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,''
the report said.
Anwar has pleaded not guilty to five counts of corruption and five of
sodomy. Initially, the court is examining four corruption charges that
allege Anwar used his power to interfere with Mohamed Said's
investigation into the accusations of sodomy and adultery.
The trial is at the centre of political unrest in Malaysia, with Anwar
supporters mounting sporadic anti-government street protests Kuala
Lumpur, since Anwar was arrested on September 20.
Mohamed Said told the court earlier this week that Anwar had urged
police to get Ummi and Azizan to retract their allegations, which they
eventually did. The police officer then submitted his report on the
matter to Mahathir.
The three-page report, which after the trial adjourned for the day was
distributed to the press, said the allegations by Ummi and Azizan were
``baseless and are more dependent on imagination and assumption.''
It said Ummi was driven by the suspicion that her sister-in-law
Shamsidar Taharin, who is married to Anwar's former private secretary,
was having an affair with the then finance minister.
Anwar was accused in a recent book, ``Fifty Reasons Why Anwar Cannot
Become Prime Minister,'' of fathering an illegitimate child with
Shamsidar. But blood tests later proved that Shamsidar's husband had
fathered the child.
Mohamed Said's report said Azizan levelled his accusations because he
was influenced by Ummi and disliked ``the arrogant attitude'' of
Shamsidar.
In the summary of his report, Mohamed Said identified a sacked
ex-police inspector named Mohd Taib as one of those who may have urged
Ummi and Azizan to smear Anwar.
``One of them is Mohd Taib, who is said to claim himself as a Special
Branch officer to the prime minister, when he is an ex-police
inspector who has been sacked from the force,'' the report, written in
Bahasa Malaysia, said.
Mohamed Said, who retires from the police later this month after 30
years, identified another man as possibly playing a role behind the
scenes.
``Based on the inquiry at this juncture, my office does not propose to
scrutinise this case in the fullest of detail,'' the report concluded.
Before the trial adjourned for the day, the defence asked for a copy
of a second report it said was dated September 3, 1997, and contained
the names of high-ranking political figures including Special
Functions Minister Daim Zainuddin and Domestic Trade Minster Megat
Junid Megat Ayob.
Mohamed Said, who drew gasps from the courtroom on Thursday when he
said under cross-examination that he would break the law and lie if
told to by his superiors, said he did not think such a report existed.
Judge Augustine Paul, who will eventually pronounce the verdict in the
case since there is no jury, asked the prosecution to try to obtain a
copy of the second report.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon
__________________________________________________________________
OUTLOOK-Reuters Asia Business at 0800 GMT
03:07 a.m. Nov 06, 1998 EasternANWAR TRIAL
KUALA LUMPUR - Sex allegations against Anwar Ibrahim were false and
possibly part of a shadowy conspiracy to smear the sacked finance
minister, Malaysian court hears.
++ Updates, including full wrap of day's proceedings
- - - -- - -
KUALA LUMPUR - The prosecution in Anwar Ibrahim's trial on Friday
submitted a police report which the defence said could expose a
high-level political conspiracy to drive the former Malaysian finance
minister from office.
- - - -__________________________________________________________________
Malaysia's Anwar right to seek retraction -witness
04:19 a.m. Nov 05, 1998 Eastern
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's sacked finance minister
Anwar Ibrahim was justified in seeking a retraction of allegations he
had committed sex crimes, the police intelligence chief said on
Thursday.
Special Branch Director Mohamed Said Awang, testifying in Anwar's
corruption trial, said he may have called the allegations by a woman
and man false and baseless in a report he sent in August 1997 to Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon__________________________________________________________________
Crucial'' police report submitted in Anwar trial
10:38 p.m. Nov 05, 1998 Eastern
By K. Baranee Krishnaan
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The prosecution in Anwar Ibrahim's
trial on Friday submitted a police report which the defence said could
expose a high-level political conspiracy to drive the former Malaysian
finance minister from office.
Prosecutor Abdul Gani Patail turned the report over to the capital's
High Court at the start of the fifth day of the corruption and sex
trial.
Defence lawyer Pawancheek Marican had told the court on Thursday that
the report, given to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in August 1997,
was a crucial piece of evidence.
Outgoing police intelligence chief Mohamed Said Awang told the court
on Thursday his report cleared Anwar of allegations of sexual
misconduct which had been made by the sister of Anwar's former private
secretary and Anwar's former driver.
Mohamed Said said he did not think the report had concluded there was
a politically motivated plot to topple Anwar.
But he said the report may have mentioned the name of Daim Zainuddin,
a close confidant of Mahathir who is now special functions minister,
as well as that of a former chief minister of Malacca state who is
close to Mahathir.
Anwar has pleaded not guilty to five counts of corruption and five of
sodomy. Initially, the court is examining four corruption charges that
allege Anwar used his power to interfere with a police investigation
into accusations of sodomy and adultery.
Mahathir sacked Anwar on September 2, one day after imposing
controversial currency controls, and called him morally unfit.
Anwar, 51, has said he was the victim of a high-level conspiracy to
prevent him from ever succeeding Mahathir, 72, as prime minister and
from exposing cronyism and corruption in the government.
During lengthy questioning on Thursday, Mohamed Said, who retires from
the police this month after 30 years, said there was much about the
report he did not remember.
Mohamed Said's evidence drew gasps from the courtroom on Thursday when
he said under cross-examination that he would break the law and lie if
told by his superiors to do so.
Defence lawyer Christopher Fernando asked questions implying the
report exposed high-level efforts to drive Anwar from office.
Pawancheek said Anwar had lost his copy of the report.
``I've recovered from the authorities the report made by the witness.
In the interest of justice, my Lord, we have no objection in giving
it,'' Abdul Gani said on Friday.
The report was handed up to Judge Augustine Paul, who will eventually
pronounce the verdict in the trial.
Mohamed Said, who was in the witness box for the fourth day on Friday,
confirmed his signature on the document.
Judge Augustine then said the court would stand adjourned for 15
minutes while the defence examined the report.
The trial is at the centre of political unrest in Malaysia, with Anwar
supporters mounting sporadic anti-government street protests in the
capital, Kuala Lumpur, since Anwar was arrested on September 20.
As on the first four days, there were no incidents outside the
courthouse on Friday. Police presence was light.
Mohamed Said, the first witness, told the court earlier in the week
that Anwar had urged police to get the sister of his former private
secretary and his former driver to retract their allegations.
He said on Thursday that he eventually submitted the report to
Mahathir clearing Anwar of the accusations.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon
__________________________________________________________________
Anwar Lawyers Seek 'Crucial' Evidence
08:38 a.m. Nov 05, 1998 Eastern
By K. Baranee Krishnaan
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Lawyers for Anwar Ibrahim Thursday sought
``crucial'' evidence which they suggested exposed a political
conspiracy to drive the former Malaysian finance minister from office.
``The whole case actually depends on this,'' lawyer Pawancheek Marican
told reporters after Anwar's corruption and sex trial adjourned on the
fourth day.
He was referring to a 1997 report by police intelligence chief Mohamad
Said Awang to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad which cleared Anwar of
allegations of sexual misconduct.
The lawyers asked for a court order to obtain the report. Pawancheek
described it as a ``crucial bit of evidence.''
Mohamed Said told the High Court the report was based on statements by
a woman and a man retracting allegations of sexual misconduct by
Anwar, who has pleaded not guilty to five charges of corruption and
five of sodomy.
The police officer told the court Wednesday that Anwar had pressed him
to force the retractions.
Mohamed Said said he did not think the report had concluded there was
a politically motivated plot to topple Anwar.
But he said he may have mentioned in the report that Daim Zainuddin, a
close confidant of Mahathir who is now special functions minister, had
met the woman who dropped her allegations against Anwar.
Mahathir and Daim are among the 52 potential prosecution witnesses in
the trial which has focused world attention on politics and human
rights in Malaysia.
Christopher Fernando, one of Anwar's eight lawyers at the trial,
repeatedly asked questions implying that the report had exposed
high-level efforts to drive Anwar from office. Pawancheek said Anwar
had lost his copy of the report.
After sacking Anwar on September 2, Mahathir said he was morally
unfit. But the former prime-minister-in-waiting said he was the victim
of a conspiracy by people close to Mahathir to sideline him from power
and prevent him from exposing corruption.
Mohamed Said said he did not know if he had presented a report
detailing a ``politically motivated'' plot. But he said he may have
mentioned two ``impostors'' that Fernando said had pressed the woman
and man to make false accusations against Anwar.
The defense asked for a court order to produce the report, but Gani
Patail, who leads the prosecution, objected saying the police
intelligence unit had many classified documents.
Judge Augustine Paul ruled that the prosecution should try to produce
the document in court without breaching government confidential laws.
The trial is at the core of political tension in Malaysia, with Anwar
supporters mounting sporadic anti-government demonstrations in the
streets of the capital Kuala Lumpur since Anwar was arrested on
September 20.
As on the first three days, there were no incidents outside the
courthouse Thursday. There were few bystanders and police presence was
light.
In the trial's first phase, the prosecution is trying to prove the
former deputy prime minister abused his power in August 1997 by
interfering with a police investigation into the alleged sexual
misconduct.
The defense has sought to undermine Mohamed Said's credibility.
Mohamed Said, who Wednesday described a procedure enabling police to
get witnesses to change their stances, said he would break the law and
lie if told by superiors to do so, drawing gasps from the courtroom.
In his testimony under prosecution questioning Wednesday, Mohamed
Said, who is on leave and retires later this month, said Anwar had
urged police to force a man and a woman to retract allegations that he
had committed sodomy.
But Thursday he said Anwar was justified in seeking a retraction of
allegations he had committed sex crimes.
``I put it to you that since the allegations against him were false
and baseless, it was perfectly legitimate for him to get retractions
of those false and baseless allegations?'' Fernando asked Mohamed Said.
``Yes,'' the outgoing police intelligence chief said.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon.__________________________________________________________________
Conspirators may have plotted against Anwar-report
11:21 p.m. Nov 05, 1998 Eastern
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Malaysia's police intelligence chief
said in a 1997 report that conspirators may have tried to smear former
finance minister Anwar Ibrahim with false sex allegations, a court was
told on Friday.
Outgoing Special Branch Director Mohamed Said Awang read to the
capital's High Court the summary of a report he sent to Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad in August 1997 concluding that the allegations were
false and appeared ``deliberately created.''
Anwar trial witness says he would lie if told to
01:11 a.m. Nov 05, 1998 Eastern
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Malaysia's police intelligence chief,
testifying in the corruption and sex trial of sacked finance minister
Anwar Ibrahim, said on Thursday that he would break the law and lie if
told by superiors to do so.
``The answer is, I would do it,'' Special Branch Director Mohamed Said
Awang said, drawing gasps from the courtroom where defence lawyers
spent the fourth day of the hearing seeking to undermine the
prosecution witness's earlier testimony.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the
prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any
errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance
thereon
==
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