Media barred from Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy trial

KUALA LUMPUR - The media was barred Thursday from entering the courtroom as Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim faced a second trial on charge of sodomy.

The people concerned visited the condominium in Desa Damansara locality here where the alleged sodomy took place last year.

The media was also barred from entering the condominium, The Star newspaper said.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nordin Hassan said that during the court’s visit to the condominium, the accuser Mohammed Saiful Bukhari Azlan re-enacted and demonstrated to the trial judge how the alleged sodomy took place.

He did this at the request of Ibrahim’s lead counsel Karpal Singh.

Ibrahim, his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and Azlan were among those who visited the place.

The trial that began Wednesday after Ibrahim pleaded not guilty was ordered to be held in-camera after Azlan began giving details of the incident.

Azlan was heckled by Ibrahim’s supporters, particularly women, present in the court, a media report said.

As the first prosecution witness, Azlan alleged that Ibrahim asked him to come to the condominium to discuss work and then demanded to have sex with him.

Azlan quoted Ibrahim as asking for sex. He refused, at which Ibrahim angrily said “what?”

Ibrahim handed over some documents to Azlan and then said: “Can I f*** you?”

Ibrahim, who was present in the court taking notes, later said “worst things” have been said against him.

The charges against Ibrahim are similar to what he faced in 1998, when he was the country’s deputy prime minister and finance minister under then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, The Star said.

Mahathir sacked Ibrahim, who faced several years of trial and imprisonment. He was later acquitted.

Ibrahim staged a political comeback in March 2008 general elections when the opposition alliance he leads won 88 seats in parliament and now controls five of the 13 states.

He was later elected in a bye-election and is now the leader of opposition.