KUALA LUMPUR, 9 JAN (TVSelangor) :Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini membebaskan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim daripada tuduhan meliwat bekas pembantunya Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah mendapati Anwar tidak bersalah di atas tuduhan itu di bawah Seksyen 377B Kanun Keseksaan.
"Mahkamah tidak boleh 100% jamin integriti bekas yang simpan DNA," kata Hakim Zabidin, dan menambah "Oleh itu mahkamah tidak boleh bergantung kepada bukti air mani."
"Mahkamah hanya ada keterangan Saiful (saksi pertama). Mahkamah tidak boleh sabit kepada keterangan saksi pertama sahaja. Oleh itu, tertuduh dibebaskan," katanya lagi.
Anwar dan Pakatan Rakyat menganggap tuduhan itu sebagai konspirasi oleh Barisan Nasional untuk menamatkan karier politiknya setelah Pakatan menakluk lima negeri dalam pilihanraya Mac 2008.
Kes ini membuka tirai sejak laporan polis yang dibuat oleh Mohd Saiful Bukhari pada 28 Jun 2008 dan pertuduhan dibacakan di Mahkamah Tinggi Jalan Duta pada 7 Ogos 2008.
Perbicaraan kes yang mengambil masa hampir tiga tahun di tutup pada 15 Disember 2011.
Perbicaraan kes berprofil tinggi ini dikendalikan oleh hakim, Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.
Pihak pendakwaraya diketuai oleh Peguam Cara Negara II, Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden sementara Peguam Bela diketuai oleh Karpal Singh.
Anwar di tuduh di bawah Seksyen 377B Kanun Keseksaan kerana melakukan persetubuhan luar tabii di Unit 11-5-1 Kondominium Desa Damansara, Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, antara 3.10 petang dan 4.30 petang pada 26 Jun 2008.
Seksyen tersebut memperuntukan penjara sehingga 20 tahun dan sebatan jika didapati bersalah.
Walaupun Bebas Perjuangan Tetap Diteruskan
KUALA LUMPUR 9 JAN : Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim melahirkan rasa syukur diatas keputusan mahkamah hari ini.
Anwar berkata keputusan ini bagaimanapun tidak akan menghentikan penentangan terhadap sistem yang menganiaya rakyat.
"Masih terlalu awal untuk meraikannnya," tegas beliau ketika diminta memberi reaksi kepada pembebasan beliau sebentar tadi.
"Saya akan terus berusaha menentang sistem ini yang banyak menindas dan menganiaya rakyat," katanya lagi.
Sementara itu, Timbalan Presiden Azmin Ali berkata keputusan hari ini adalah satu permulaan yang baik dalam kempen reformasi sistem keadilan negara.
"Saya bersyukur hakim membuat keputusan berdasarkan bukti. Harap ini permulaan yang baik bagi sistem kehakiman," katanya.
Difahamkan pasukan pendakwaraya berkata mereka akan berbincang dengan Peguam Negara samada nak merayu atau tidak keputusan mahkamah tadi.
Anwar Ibrahim dismiss sex charges
Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is charged with sexual abuse, has dismissed the laws he is accused of breaking, Press TV reports.
Anwar's coalition partners and supporters say the ruling National Front Coalition government will collapse if the father of six is jailed for the sexual abuse charge.
They claim that a majority of the Malaysian people believe the charge is imposed upon Anwar Ibrahim to cut short his political career.
This comes while ruling politicians say that the verdict will have no impact on the government as the country's judiciary is independent.
The opposition coalition add that thousands of people will stage a rally for Anwar Ibrahim when the court delivers a verdict in his sodomy trial next Monday.
Anwar was charged with sodomy following his victory at the 2008 general election, which denied the government its two-third majority in parliament.
He was also charged with corruption and sodomy in 1998 and subsequently lost his position as the deputy prime minister.The politician was convicted for both charges and served a prison term until a 2004 overturn of the sodomy conviction
.MR/JR - PRESS TV ( IRAN)
Malaysia opposition's Anwar freed of sodomy charge
0
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim (C) is welcomed by his supporters after coming out from the high court where he heard the verdict of his sodomy trial in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 9, 2012. (Photo: AP)
9 January 2012 / AP, KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim celebrated a surprising triumph over sodomy charges Monday, pledging to focus his energies on toppling the government in elections expected later this year.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted Anwar of sodomizing a male former aide, ruling that the prosecution's DNA evidence was unreliable in a verdict that upended Anwar's worst-case scenario of a 20-year prison sentence following a trial that polarized public opinion.
Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration described the judgment as a repudiation of Anwar's long-standing insistence that the government trumped up the sodomy charge and manipulated the judiciary to thwart his hopes to become Malaysia's next leader.
Anwar said he was "pleasantly shocked" by the verdict, but remained convinced the case was politically motivated. "To assume the judiciary is independent is a bit far-fetched," Anwar told The Associated Press.
Anwar was imprisoned for six years after being ousted as deputy prime minister in 1998 on charges of sodomizing his former family driver and abusing his power. Sodomy, even consensual, is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, but the law against it is seldom enforced.
Anwar's earlier trials were criticized by foreign governments and rights groups that called Anwar's incarceration an attempt to extinguish his challenge to former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Anwar was freed after Malaysia's top court quashed the sodomy conviction.
He led a three-party opposition alliance to unprecedented gains in 2008 elections, but his future was thrown into jeopardy some months later when Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a 26-year-old former aide, accused Anwar of forcing him to have sex in an apartment.
Government supporters insisted throughout the trial that the allegations proved that Anwar was morally unfit to lead. But opposition activists called it a smear campaign masterminded by Malaysia's long-ruling coalition to cling to power.
The case hinged mainly on Saiful's testimony and semen samples found on his body that investigators said matched Anwar's DNA. The defense insisted Saiful's claims were full of inconsistencies and that the DNA samples were mishandled.
High Court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah said he "could not with 100 percent certainty exclude the possibility that the (DNA) sample is not compromised."
"The court is always reluctant to convict on sexual offenses without corroborative evidence," he said in an unexpectedly brief two-minute judgment.
More than 5,000 opposition supporters outside the court building cheered when they heard news of the verdict. Inside, Anwar's wife and children wept and hugged him, while his friends burst into shouts of "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great."
Chief prosecutor Yusof Zainal Abiden said he had not decided whether to appeal the acquittal.
Police said that after the verdict was delivered, three small blasts caused by homemade explosives wounded five people on roads nearby. Officials had no suspects.
Information Minister Rais Yatim said the acquittal "proves that the government does not hold sway over judges' decisions."
"Malaysia has an independent judiciary," Rais said. "The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by (Najib) will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life."
Phil Robertson, deputy director of New York-based Human Rights Watch's Asian division, said Anwar should never have been charged in the first place, adding that the case had been "politically motivated and plagued with irregularities."
Saiful did not attend the hearing, but wrote on Twitter after the verdict that he would "remain calm, continue praying and be patient."
Anwar was flying to India later Monday for a speaking engagement and would also head to Turkey before returning home this weekend for his alliance's national congress, in which the opposition is expected to plan its strategies for elections widely expected within months.
"I am confident, God willing, that we will win if the elections are free and fair," Anwar said.
The opposition now has more than one-third of Parliament's seats and hopes to win power by pledging to curb graft, racial discrimination and restrictions on civil liberties.
ZAMAN TODAY ( TURKI)
Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration described the judgment as a repudiation of Anwar's long-standing insistence that the government trumped up the sodomy charge and manipulated the judiciary to thwart his hopes to become Malaysia's next leader.
Anwar said he was "pleasantly shocked" by the verdict, but remained convinced the case was politically motivated. "To assume the judiciary is independent is a bit far-fetched," Anwar told The Associated Press.
Anwar was imprisoned for six years after being ousted as deputy prime minister in 1998 on charges of sodomizing his former family driver and abusing his power. Sodomy, even consensual, is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, but the law against it is seldom enforced.
Anwar's earlier trials were criticized by foreign governments and rights groups that called Anwar's incarceration an attempt to extinguish his challenge to former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Anwar was freed after Malaysia's top court quashed the sodomy conviction.
He led a three-party opposition alliance to unprecedented gains in 2008 elections, but his future was thrown into jeopardy some months later when Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a 26-year-old former aide, accused Anwar of forcing him to have sex in an apartment.
Government supporters insisted throughout the trial that the allegations proved that Anwar was morally unfit to lead. But opposition activists called it a smear campaign masterminded by Malaysia's long-ruling coalition to cling to power.
The case hinged mainly on Saiful's testimony and semen samples found on his body that investigators said matched Anwar's DNA. The defense insisted Saiful's claims were full of inconsistencies and that the DNA samples were mishandled.
High Court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah said he "could not with 100 percent certainty exclude the possibility that the (DNA) sample is not compromised."
"The court is always reluctant to convict on sexual offenses without corroborative evidence," he said in an unexpectedly brief two-minute judgment.
More than 5,000 opposition supporters outside the court building cheered when they heard news of the verdict. Inside, Anwar's wife and children wept and hugged him, while his friends burst into shouts of "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great."
Chief prosecutor Yusof Zainal Abiden said he had not decided whether to appeal the acquittal.
Police said that after the verdict was delivered, three small blasts caused by homemade explosives wounded five people on roads nearby. Officials had no suspects.
Information Minister Rais Yatim said the acquittal "proves that the government does not hold sway over judges' decisions."
"Malaysia has an independent judiciary," Rais said. "The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by (Najib) will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life."
Phil Robertson, deputy director of New York-based Human Rights Watch's Asian division, said Anwar should never have been charged in the first place, adding that the case had been "politically motivated and plagued with irregularities."
Saiful did not attend the hearing, but wrote on Twitter after the verdict that he would "remain calm, continue praying and be patient."
Anwar was flying to India later Monday for a speaking engagement and would also head to Turkey before returning home this weekend for his alliance's national congress, in which the opposition is expected to plan its strategies for elections widely expected within months.
"I am confident, God willing, that we will win if the elections are free and fair," Anwar said.
The opposition now has more than one-third of Parliament's seats and hopes to win power by pledging to curb graft, racial discrimination and restrictions on civil liberties.
ZAMAN TODAY ( TURKI)
Malaysia's Anwar acquitted of sodomy charges
KUALA LUMPUR —
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar was acquitted on Monday in a stunning conclusion to a two-year sodomy trial that he had condemned as a conspiracy to cripple his resurgent political alliance.
“Thank God, justice has been served,” Anwar told reporters after being cleared of sexual misconduct with a young male aide, and pledged to topple the government in national polls expected to be held this year.
“In the coming election, voice of the people will be heard and this corrupt government will be toppled from its pedestals of power,” he added in a Twitter posting.
The unexpected decision set off pandemonium at the Kuala Lumpur High Court where Anwar—a former deputy premier who was sacked and convicted on separate sodomy charges in 1998—was mobbed by his family and opposition politicians.
Thousands of supporters who had gathered outside under heavy security since before dawn, many in Muslim skullcaps or Anwar masks, erupted into cheers and punched their fists in the air.
In impromptu rallies near the courthouse, they shouted the opposition’s battle cry of “Reformasi!” (reform), while scores headed to a nearby mosque to give thanks.
In his brief verdict, Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah said that he could not rely on controversial DNA evidence submitted by the prosecution in the case lodged by Anwar’s aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
“The court is always reluctant to convict on sexual offenses without corroborative evidence. Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged,” he said.
The verdict in the long-running trial defied the expectations of many political observers and even Anwar himself, who had said the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak was intent on eliminating him as a political threat.
Information Minister Rais Yatim said: “Malaysia has an independent judiciary and this verdict proves that the government does not hold sway over judges’ decisions.
“The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life,” he said in a statement.
Najib faces a deadline of early next year to hold new polls in the ethnically diverse and resource-rich nation, in which he hopes to reverse unprecedented gains made by the opposition in landmark 2008 elections.
But with his name cleared, Anwar can now campaign freely at the helm of his opposition alliance—which brings together his multi-racial Keadilan, a conservative Islamic party, and a liberal Chinese-based party.
The surprise verdict throws the electoral landscape wide open, said Ibrahim Suffian, head of Malaysia’s leading polling firm Merdeka Center.
The outcome “vindicates Anwar and significantly removes doubts about his personal conduct, which has been a concern especially among conservative Muslim voters,” Ibrahim said.
But he added that Najib can now also plausibly claim that his recent pledge to end Malaysia’s authoritarian ways—which the opposition has called an empty election ploy—is sincere.
Tensions spiked briefly outside the court as two people were injured in at least three small blasts, with police blaming firecrackers for the explosions that damaged a motorcycle and shattered the window of a van.
Police had given rare consent for the courthouse rally, but were concerned over the prospects of trouble given the massive crowds that took to the streets after Anwar’s 1990s downfall.
Ahead of Monday’s verdict, hundreds of police officers and other security forces guarded the streets around the court, which was cordoned off, and a water cannon truck was on standby.
“All of a sudden he is free. I feel very excited. Finally he got justice,” said jubilant hotel worker Shima Sharif, 46, as news of the acquittal electrified the crowds.
The charismatic Anwar had been groomed to succeed then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad until a bitter row between them forced Anwar out in 1998, and he was jailed on sodomy and graft charges widely seen as politically motivated.
He was freed in 2004 after the sodomy charge was overturned and assumed the helm of the opposition, which seized control of five states and a third of parliamentary seats in the 2008 polls.
The new charges emerged shortly after, sparking accusations they were concocted by the government to stall the opposition revival which threatened its half-century grip on power.
Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia and punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
“The case against Anwar was politically motivated and plagued with irregularities,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement after the verdict.
He called on Najib to repeal colonial-era laws against consensual homosexual acts as part of his liberalising drive.
JAPAN TODAY ( JEPUN)
Malaysia court finds Anwar Ibrahim not guilty of sodomy
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been acquitted of sodomy after a two-year trial.
Judge Zabidin Mohamad Diah said DNA evidence submitted by the prosecution was unreliable and discharged the case.
Mr Anwar, 64, has consistently denied the charges and called them a government bid to cripple his political ambitions and influence.
The government said the verdict showed Malaysia's judiciary was free from government influence.
Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia but, says the BBC's Jennifer Pak in Kuala Lumpur, very few people are ever prosecuted.
'Justice has prevailed'
Mr Anwar had been accused of having sex with a former male aide. He had faced up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
But the judge said that there were questions over whether DNA evidence had been contaminated.
"The court is always reluctant to convict on sexual offences without corroborative evidence. Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged," the judge said.
The verdict was greeted with cheers from Mr Anwar's supporters, wife and daughters, our correspondent says.
Mr Anwar told journalists outside the courtroom: "Thank God justice has prevailed I have been vindicated.
"To be honest, I am a little surprised."
Information Minister Rais Yatim said that the verdict showed that judges were free to rule as they saw fit.
"Malaysia has an independent judiciary," he said. "The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life."
Police said two people were injured in two small blasts caused by explosive devices in a car park outside the court as the verdict was delivered. They did not say whether it was linked to the case.
'Toppled'
The allegations against Mr Anwar surfaced just months after elections in 2008, in which he led the opposition to unprecedented gains at the expense of the ruling party.
This verdict comes ahead of elections due in 2013 but widely expected to be called later this year.
Hundreds of police and security personnel were on the streets of Kuala Lumpur ahead of the verdict, and thousands of Mr Anwar's supporters waited outside the court.
Mr Anwar was once Malaysia's deputy prime minister and an ally of former leader Mahathir Mohammad.
But he fell out with Mr Mahathir and was later jailed for corruption and sodomy. The sodomy conviction was later overturned and he was freed in 2004 after spending six years in prison.
He is now seen as the key figure in Malaysia's opposition coalition, which currently controls about a third of the seats in parliament.
The governing party has been in power for over 50 years and, says our correspondent, Mr Anwar is seen as the only person capable of challenging their dominance.
In a tweet from his account minutes after the verdict, the opposition leader looked ahead to the polls.
"In the coming election, voice of the people will be heard and this corrupt government will be toppled from its pedestals of power," the message read.
BBC NEWS
BBC NEWS
| Anwar Ibrahim found not guilty of sodomy | ||
Malaysian politician says justice has been served and pledges to topple the government in next elections.
Last Modified: 09 Jan 2012 04:50
| ||
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has been acquitted in a surprise end to a politically-charged sodomy trial.
The popular leader has called the trial a government bid to cripple his opposition ahead of upcoming polls.
The ruling by Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah set off celebrations in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, with Anwar mobbed by his wife, daughters and opposition politicians in joyous scenes.
"Thank God, justice has been served," Anwar told reporters after the judge pronounced him not guilty.
"I feel vindicated, but we still have an agenda and a struggle. We now have to focus on the general elections," he said.
In a posting on his Twitter feed shortly after the ruling, Anwar said: "In the coming election, (the) voice of the people will be heard and this corrupt government will be toppled from its pedestals of power."
Thousands of Anwar supporters, who gathered outside under heavy security, erupted into cheers and raised their fists of support in the air as news of the verdict filtered out.
In his brief verdict announcement, Zabidin said he could not rely on controversial DNA evidence submitted by the prosecution.
"The court is always reluctant to convict on sexual offences without corroborative evidence. Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged," he said.
It was the second sodomy verdict in a dozen years for Anwar, a former deputy premier in the 1990s, who was next in line to head the country's long-ruling government until a spectacular downfall.
The charismatic Anwar had been groomed to succeed former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad until a bitter row between them saw Anwar ousted in 1998, beaten and jailed on sodomy and graft charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Once the sodomy charge was overturned in 2004 and he was released, the affair threw Anwar into the opposition, which he led to unprecedented gains against his former ruling party in 2008 general elections.
But the new sodomy charges emerged shortly after those polls, accusing Anwar of sodomising a former male aide, the charges sparked accusations they were concocted by the ruling United Malays National Organisation to stall the opposition revival.
Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia and punishable by 20 years in jail.
|
Blasts As Malaysia's Anwar Cleared of Sodomy
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is greeted by his supporters after being acquitted of sodomy in Kuala Lumpur
9:19am UK, Monday January 09, 2012
Two people have been hurt by blasts near a court which acquitted Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy.
Hundreds of his supporters had gathered outside the building as the verdict was delivered as police reported three explosions which wounded people on roads nearby.
It is thought they were homemade devices but it is not clear if they were linked to the controversial case.
A 26-year-old male former aide had accused Mr Anwar of forcing him to have sex in 2008.
The former deputy prime minister was found guilty of the same offence in a separate case in 1999, but had the conviction overturned on appeal.
Father-of-six Mr Anwar waves to supporters with his daughter, Nurul Izzah
Mr Anwar has always insisted he was being targeted by a political smear campaign. The court said it had acquitted him because of unreliable DNA evidence said to have been found on Saiful Bukhari Azlan's body.
A crowd of Mr Anwar's supporters shouted "Allahu Akbar", or "God is great", after the verdict. His wife and children burst into tears and hugged him.
The father-of-six had earlier said he was braced for a conviction, which would have meant up to 20 years in prison.
However, prosecutors have indicated that they could appeal the acquittal.
And his accuser wrote on Twitter that he would "remain calm, continue praying and be patient".
Phil Robertson, of Human Rights Watch, said Mr Anwar should never have been charged in the first place, adding that the case had been "politically motivated and plagued with irregularities".
Sodomy, even consensual, is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Anwar Ibrahim sodomy charge dismissed by Malaysian judge
Second acquittal of opposition leader on sex charges is a shock ahead of poll that could shake ruling Umno party's grip on power
Anwar Ibrahim, next to his wife, Wan Azizah Ismail, makes a speech to supporters after his acquittal on sodomy charges. Photograph: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
A Malaysian court has acquitted the country's opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, of sodomy charges in a shock ruling that could fast-forward the former deputy prime minister's political comeback ahead of an expected election this year.
Anwar, 64, was charged in 2008 with having sex with a male former aide, and could have faced whipping and up to 20 years in jail if found guilty. Under Malaysian law sex between males is a punishable offence even if consensual.
The case rested primarily on testimony by Anwar's 26-year-old accuser, Saiful Bukhari Azlan, as well as semen samples found on Saiful's body that investigators said matched Anwar's DNA. Defence lawyers contended that Saiful's testimony about the alleged sodomy, at a Kuala Lumpur apartment in 2008, was riddled with inconsistencies and the DNA evidence mishandled by investigators.
In his ruling, judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah expressed concern that the submitted evidence was tainted and told a packed Kuala Lumpur courtroom: "The court at this stage could not with 100% certainty exclude the possibility that the [DNA] sample is not compromised. Therefore it is not safe to rely on the sample.
"There is no evidence to corroborate" the charge, he added.
As his family burst into tears at the verdict, a jubilant Anwar greeted reporters. "Thank God justice has prevailed," Anwar said. "I have been vindicated. To be honest I am a little surprised."
Some 5,000 opposition supporters had gathered outside the court chanting "reform" as a police helicopter flew overhead and riot police, backed by a truck mounted with a water cannon, watched the crowd.
Three explosions were reported outside the courthouse, with a preliminary investigation finding two explosive devices underneath police cones. Two people were injured and taken to hospital, but it is unclear who was responsible.
Monday's judgment is seen as a positive step forward for Malaysia's judicial system and could have a major impact on upcoming general elections, which the prime minister, Najib Razak, is widely expected to call this year.
Najib hopes to regain a strong mandate after suffering in recent popularity polls and has promised economic and civil liberty reforms.
Anwar and his supporters long contested the sodomy allegations as a government plot to weaken his three-party coalition. The charges emerged after the coalition made unprecedented gains in the 2008 general elections against the ruling National Front alliance, which has ruled Malaysia for more than 50 years.
The opposition controls more than one-third of parliament's seats and analysts say that Anwar, who has pledged to scale back Malaysia's most draconian laws and reunify the racially divided nation if elected, could potentially knock out the incumbent government entirely.
This trial was the second time in 14 years that Anwar has faced the courts. Anwar served as both deputy prime minister and finance minister in the incumbent Umno party before falling out with his then premier, Mahathir Mohamad, in 1998.
He was then jailed for six years on sodomy and corruption charges in what was widely seen as a politically motivated prosecution. The sodomy charged was overturned in 2004.
Anwar has since become the glue binding together the three very ideologically different parties in his opposition alliance, which includes Islamists and an ethnic Chinese party. But for a coalition that has long considered itself "martyred" by Malaysian politics, the true test will be its ability to create a viable alternative for the future, says Bridget Welsh, Malaysia specialist at Singapore Management University.
"Charges against opposition figures don't really help Malaysia. This [verdict] gives Malaysia an opportunity to move out of dirty politics - for the [National Front] to get out of gutter politics, and for the opposition to … move on and change its tactic from being the 'martyr' and 'target' to one that promotes a positive alternative for voters," she said.
In a statement released after the verdict, the government said Monday's ruling proved that "Malaysia has an independent judiciary and this verdict proves that the government does not hold sway over judges' decisions. The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by [Najib] will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life."
Such reforms, coupled with Monday's acquittal, could be seen by voters as positive steps and translate into votes for the National Front in the upcoming elections, said Malaysian political analyst Ong Kian Ming.
"Had [Anwar] been convicted, he could have garnered more public sympathy that now won't be as strong. [PM] Najib can now try to capitalise on this by continuing on with his political reforms, saying that the judiciary system is free and fair, and … gaining some momentum by leading up to the next election."
Anwar's accuser Saiful, who did not attend the hearing, wrote on Twitter after the verdict that he would "remain calm, continue praying and be patient".
The legal saga may very well continue, since chief prosecutor Yusof Zainal Abiden has not yet decided whether to appeal against the acquittal.
TERKINI!! Pembebasan Anwar Ibrahim Jadi Tajuk Utama SELURUH DUNIA!!
Laporan tentang keputusan perbicaraan fitnah liwat tehadap Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim hari ini mendapat liputan meluas di seluruh dunia.
Hampir kesemua akhbar utama di dunia serta stesen televisyen negara asing menjadikan carian Anwar Ibrahim paling popular termasuk di Amerika Syarikat dan negara-negara Eropah.
CNN International di New York dan CNN Asia di Hong Kong mendahului senarai dengan tajuk utama jam 1245 tengah hari tadi iaitu Malaysian court finds opposition leader Anwar not guilty of sodomy (Mahkamah Malaysia mendapati ketua pembangkang Anwar tidak bersalah atas tuduhan liwat)
Al Jazeera yang berpangkalan di Doha, Qatar pula tidak ketinggalan mendapat perhatian pelayar internet apabila sebahagian besar rantau Timur Tengah yang masih awal pagi memperolehi berita dalam Bahasa Inggeris sebelum diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Arab.
Hampir kesemua akhbar utama di dunia serta stesen televisyen negara asing menjadikan carian Anwar Ibrahim paling popular termasuk di Amerika Syarikat dan negara-negara Eropah.
Al Jazeera yang berpangkalan di Doha, Qatar pula tidak ketinggalan mendapat perhatian pelayar internet apabila sebahagian besar rantau Timur Tengah yang masih awal pagi memperolehi berita dalam Bahasa Inggeris sebelum diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Arab.
Di United Kingdom, The Guardian dan Sky News memaparkan berita terkini masing-masing sebelum menjadi berita penuh dengan video rakaman Anwar Ibrahim dibebaskan.
BBC News dalam laporannya memaparkan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai tajuk utama lebih awal dengan berita utama sekitar jam 1140 pagi tadi dengan tajuk Anwar Found Not Guilty Of Sodomy(Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat)
Tidak ketinggalan rantau Afrika termasuk Kenya, Nigeria dan Somalia serta Afrika Selatan memaparkan tajuk utama sekitar jam 12 tengah hari sebagai berita terkini.
Manakala di rantau Asia, The Straits Times Singapura mendahului senarai dengan carian lebih 45 ribu hits sejak keputusan Zabidin Mohd Diah diumumkan.
Di Jepun, akhbar uatama negara itu, Asahi Shimbun menulis tajuk utama iaitu Malaysian court finds Anwar not guilty of sodomy (Mahkamah Malaysia Mendapati Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat)
Ini sekaligus membuktikan bahawa pengaruh Anwar Ibrahim adalah jauh lebih besar berbanding musuh politiknya Najib Altantuya walaupun menjawat jawatan perdana menteri!
Keputusan perbicaraan kes liwat melibatkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mencuri perhatian media di seluruh dunia, yang menjadikan laporan berkaitan sebagai berita utama organisasi masing-masing.
Badan penyiar CNN dan Al Jazeera mengutarakan laporan itu dalam edisi Asia mereka. Manakala media lain termasuk akhbar United Kingdom Sky News dan ABC yang berpengkalan di Australia.
Badan penyiaran British BBC pula menjadikan Anwar sebagai personaliti utama dengan melaporkan sekitar keputusan hari ini, diikuti rencara berhubung ahli politik itu dan sejarah panjang kariernya.
Tulisan itu, antara lain mendakwa, masyarakat Cina masih berhati-hati terhadap "akar radikal Islam", walaupun masyarakat antarabangsanya melihatnya sebagai "peneraju pembaharuan di Malaysia".
Harian United Kingdom Guardian pula melaporkan "keputusan mengejutkan" itu sebagai berita utama, dengan menyifatkan pembebasan itu akan mempercepatkan 'comeback' perdana menteri.
Laporan berkenaan dihasilkan oleh koresponden mereka, yang mana Anwar sebelum ini memberikan wawancara eksklusif.
Ketua pembangkang juga diwawancara media asing di rumahnya sejurus selepas keputusan diumumkan hari ini. Kebanyakan mereka telah mengikuti perjalanan kes itu sejak dua tahun lalu.
Laporan agensi berita antarabangsa juga dimuatkan semula di Kenya, India, China dan Baitul Maqdis yang menceritakan tentang letupan di mahkamah dalam bahagian berita antarabangsa. ~jalanpulang
Sumber : Ini Bukti Anwar Lebih Berpengaruh Daripada Najib Di Mata Dunia
January 10, 2012
Berita dapat perhatian media antarabangsa
January 10, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR - Keputusan perbicaraan kes Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mendapat perhatian media di seluruh dunia sebagai berita utama.
CNN International di New York dan CNN Asia di Hong Kong, mendahului senarai dengan tajuk utama jam 12.45 tengah hari semalam, iaitu ‘Mahkamah Malaysia Mendapati Ketua Pembangkang Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Diikuti stesen Bloomberg yang menyaksikan temu bual, sejurus beliau bebas dari tuduhan itu, manakala Al Jazeera berpangkalan di Doha, Qatar juga tidak ketinggalan mendapat perhatian pelayar Internet, apabila sebahagian besar rantau Timur Tengah yang masih awal pagi, memperoleh berita dalam Bahasa Inggeris, sebelum diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Arab.
Di United Kingdom, The Guardian dan Sky News memaparkan berita terkini, sebelum menjadi berita penuh dengan video rakaman pembebasan.
BBC News dalam laporannya, memaparkan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai tajuk utama lebih awal dengan berita utama, sekitar jam 1140 pagi semalam, dengan tajuk ‘Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Tidak ketinggalan Kenya, Nigeria dan Somalia serta Afrika Selatan, memaparkan tajuk utama, sekitar jam 12 tengah hari sebagai berita terkini.
Manakala di rantau Asia, The Straits Times Singapura, mendahului dengan carian lebih 45,000 sejak keputusan diumumkan.
Di Jepun, akhbar utama negara itu, Asahi Shimbun menulis tajuk utama ‘Mahkamah Malaysia Mendapati Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Ini sekali gus membuktikan, pengaruh Anwar Ibrahim terus mendapat perhatian dunia.
CNN International di New York dan CNN Asia di Hong Kong, mendahului senarai dengan tajuk utama jam 12.45 tengah hari semalam, iaitu ‘Mahkamah Malaysia Mendapati Ketua Pembangkang Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Diikuti stesen Bloomberg yang menyaksikan temu bual, sejurus beliau bebas dari tuduhan itu, manakala Al Jazeera berpangkalan di Doha, Qatar juga tidak ketinggalan mendapat perhatian pelayar Internet, apabila sebahagian besar rantau Timur Tengah yang masih awal pagi, memperoleh berita dalam Bahasa Inggeris, sebelum diterjemahkan ke dalam Bahasa Arab.
Di United Kingdom, The Guardian dan Sky News memaparkan berita terkini, sebelum menjadi berita penuh dengan video rakaman pembebasan.
BBC News dalam laporannya, memaparkan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai tajuk utama lebih awal dengan berita utama, sekitar jam 1140 pagi semalam, dengan tajuk ‘Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Tidak ketinggalan Kenya, Nigeria dan Somalia serta Afrika Selatan, memaparkan tajuk utama, sekitar jam 12 tengah hari sebagai berita terkini.
Manakala di rantau Asia, The Straits Times Singapura, mendahului dengan carian lebih 45,000 sejak keputusan diumumkan.
Di Jepun, akhbar utama negara itu, Asahi Shimbun menulis tajuk utama ‘Mahkamah Malaysia Mendapati Anwar Tidak Bersalah Atas Tuduhan Liwat’.
Ini sekali gus membuktikan, pengaruh Anwar Ibrahim terus mendapat perhatian dunia.
