Sodomy II : Anwar’s Conviction Gets Worldwide Attention

PETALING JAYA 8 March - Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction for sodomy yesterday received immediate worldwide press coverage, with many of the reports linking the Court of Appeal decision to his stature as a political threat to Barisan Nasional.

Reuters, the world’s leading news agency, said on its online edition: “Three judges at the Court of Appeal unanimously voted to overturn Anwar’s acquittal two years ago in a rapid ruling that his supporters and international human rights groups say was politically influenced and aimed at ending his career.

“The former deputy prime minister, who was previously jailed for six years on sodomy and corruption charges, will not be jailed immediately as his lawyers won a stay of the sentence pending an appeal.”

Reuters also quoted a government official as denying that the decision was politically motivated and claiming that Malaysia had an independent judiciary.

BBC News said the court’s verdict would affect Anwar’s plan to compete in the Kajang by-election.

“A victory for Mr Anwar would mean he could become Selangor’s chief minister, widely seen as a powerful post,” it said.

A leading British daily, The Independent, reported: “The Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been found guilty of sodomy, a verdict that may disqualify him from his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

“The conviction upholds the government’s appeal of his acquittal two years earlier. Mr Ibrahim’s supporters claim the ruling is politically motivated and is aimed at ending his career.”

Another popular British daily, The Guardian, said international human rights groups had condemned the government’s case against Anwar as politically motivated.

CNN described the court decision as “the latest twist” in Anwar’s “long-running legal battle.”

The Washington Post reported: “An angry Anwar vowed to appeal to the country’s highest court. He accused Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government of orchestrating his conviction and warned that it ‘faces the wrath of the people.’

“Anwar, 66, is the most potent threat to Najib, whose popular support has weakened over the last two elections.”

Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald said the court decision had exposed the Putrajaya administration to “international ridicule for prolonging their political case” against Anwar.

As of this morning, “Anwar Ibrahim sodomy acquittal overturned” was the third most viewed article in the Brisbane Times.

The same title was the fifth most viewed item in The Saturday Age, also of Australia.

The issue was big news in India as well.

The Times of India reported: “A Malaysian court convicted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy on Friday, upholding the government’s appeal of his acquittal two years earlier, in a ruling that his supporters said was politically influenced and aimed at ending his career.”

The Indian television station NDTV reported: “Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy on Friday in a fresh threat to the career of a charismatic politician who helped turn around the country’s once-hapless opposition.”

The court decision was also given prominent coverage by Al Jazeera, the Hong Kong Standard, the Singapore Straits Times and African Financial News, among many other media organisations.

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