KUALA LUMPUR, Wed:
If you click to open the Malaysia Today website just now, you will be greeted by a smiling Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dressed in army fatigues, an obvious picture alteration to the Mel Gibson movie poster “We Were Soldiers.”
The site, edited and owned by the controversial Raja Petra Kamarudin, was hacked since early this morning by a hacker simply known as Gasakdotnet.
The hack appeared to be a political statement alluding to Dr Mahathir’s “battle” for his country when he was prime minister from 1981 to 2003, which also includes the tagline "My Countrymen, My Fellow Malaysian."
In the tradition of movie promotions, the hacked poster is drumming up support for a “movie now showing nationwide”, another statement alluding to Dr Mahathir’s series of lectures and meetings criticising the Prime Minister's policies and management style.
Malaysia Today is no stranger to hacks, which included earlier attacks that prevented surfers from viewing the site.
[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/20080702195713/Article/index_html]
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Raja Petra's Malaysia Today website hacked and altered - NST
Malaysians Perceive Corruption To Be Declining - Survey - Bernama
PUTRAJAYA, July 2 (Bernama) -- A local survey has revealed that Malaysians now perceive corruption in the country to be declining in contrast to findings by Transparency International.
The survey, which was done by the Statistics Department and funded by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), showed that from the total 10 points of the corruption perception index, Malaysia scored 6.79 points compared to 5.10 points in Transparency International's index. The lower the figure the worse the situation.
According to the National Integrity Perception Index Research Report 2007, which was launched, here today, the people's perception on corruption alleviation was expected to be better this year and in the future.
Malaysian Integrity Institute President, Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh when presenting the findings, said this was due to the government's development policy and increase in transparency, including efforts to make the Anti- Corruption Agency (ACA) a fully independent commission.
Speaking to reporters after the launching, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, however, said that both findings should not be compared as they involved different sets of respondents.
"This is the first time such the survey was conducted. It's a good start and will be the benchmark to improve national integrity," he said.
[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=343500]
Malaysia's Anwar vows to seize power - AP
By Vijay Joshi
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to seize power soon, stepping up his campaign against the government as he fights back an accusation of sodomizing a young worker in his office.
Addressing some 7,000 people on Tuesday night, Anwar accused the ruling National Front coalition government of being corrupt, inefficient and uncaring. He promised to set right the problems plaguing the country, including bringing down fuel prices, which were raised by a whopping 41 percent to 63 percent last month.
The opposition will "rule in a short while" and "the next day we will lower the price of oil," he said to loud cheers in his first public meeting since he was hit by the sodomy accusation last week.
Police are investigating the allegation by a 23-year-old male aide. Anwar, 60, who is married with six children, says he is a victim of a conspiracy by a desperate government clinging to power.
Sodomy, even if consensual, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
The government has denied any hand in the claim.
[More at http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/07/02/ap5175884.html]
I have a strong alibi, says Anwar - The Star
VIDEO: Anwar: We Will Fight
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dismissed the sodomy accusation, saying he has a strong alibi to prove his innocence.
“I have ample proof and witnesses,” he said at a packed press conference at the PKR headquarters here yesterday.
Anwar was silent for a few seconds, then took another question, before replying to a question on his whereabouts on Thursday night last week when his 23-year-old former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan alleged that he had been sodomised by Anwar.
The PKR de facto leader declined to elaborate on the matter, saying he had been advised by his lawyers to refrain from doing so.
Compared to the first time when he was charged with committing sodomy in 1993, Anwar said he was well prepared with facts and documents now.
“Back then, the police stole my diary and never returned it. We struggled to think of what happened years ago. This time, events are still fresh in my memory. There is the diary and witnesses.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/2/nation/21715548&sec=nation]
Dr M not surprised by sodomy allegation - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was not surprised over the recent sodomy allegation against his former deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“I am not surprised at all. He is saying it is a fabrication but he said the same thing last time,” he said when asked to comment on the new allegation.
The allegation came about after a 23-year-old former aide of Anwar lodged a police report on Saturday alleging sodomy. The de facto leader of PKR in turn filed a suit against the aide claiming defamation and malicious falsehood.
Anwar has vehemently denied the accusations and said it was a political conspiracy against him given his plans to return to Parliament.
Anwar alleged that the Government was out to get him, just when he was about to announce where he would be contesting in a by-election. The Government has denied his allegation.
“He will have lots of stories. There is always conspiracy as far as he is concerned. I’m not surprised at all,” Dr Mahathir said in an interview.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/2/nation/21714819&sec=nation]
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Anwar: We Will Fight - TheStarOnline.tv
PKR held an impromptu rally Tuesday night in reaction to the sodomy allegations made against its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
PM gives assurance of security - The Star
By Sim Leoi Leoi
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has given an assurance of security for PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the latest police probe against him for sodomy.
The Premier said this Tuesday after meeting with Opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her daugther Nurul Izzah Anwar for 20 minutes at his office in Parliament building here.
Abdullah said during the meeting, Dr Wan Azizah had asked him to ensure the safety of her husband and that he would not be ill-treated.
“For the Government, we want to ensure the safety for whoever is involved in the case - whether it be the accuser or the accused.
“The laws of the country guarantee their security,” he told reporters here Tuesday.
Abdullah said Dr Wan Azizah had also voiced doubts over the role of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail as both had been involved in the last sodomy case against Anwar back in 1998.
“I want to explain that both the IGP and the AG are professionals, who carry out their responsibilities well.
“At present, there is no need to have a mechanism like a commission to probe the case,” he said.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/1/nation/20080701211916&sec=nation]
Anwar lodges report against IGP, AG - Malaysiakini
By Chan Kok Leong
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today lodged a police report against police chief Musa Hassan and attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail for allegedly fabricating evidence in his trials 10 years ago.
Anwar arrived at the Selangor state police headquarters in Shah Alam at about 2.50pm, accompanied by his lawyer Sankara Nair.
Four of his party leaders, including vice president R Sivarasa and treasurer William Leong, had arrived much earlier at about 2.20pm and waited for Anwar to come to lodge the report.
Outside the station, several other party leaders, including two of PKR's MPs N Gobalakrishnan and Yusmadi Yusoff, were disappointed that they weren't allowed into the police headquarters.
The crowd of supporters, though small in numbers (about 30), were vociferous, especially when led by Gobalakrishnan. And after Anwar had arrived 10 minutes later, the two managed to push through the gates, although they were stopped from following their leader into the police station.
A minor scuffle broke out with Anwar's supporters shouting through the gates, but no untoward incidents took place. Soon after, Gopalakrishnan and Yusmadi managed to get to the entrance of the police station.
[More at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85368]
‘Anwar putting on a show’ - NST
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should learn to tell the difference between "reality and play-acting", said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.
He said the former deputy prime minister's claim of fearing for his life was baseless.
"I guarantee that his life will not be in danger when police carry out their investigation. We have a legal system here and everyone, including Anwar, must respect it."
Syed Hamid said that since Anwar was released from prison, he had the freedom to do what he wanted as a political activist, both locally and overseas. "Nobody has threatened him. He could move freely making all sorts of statements and allegations.
"We have not taken any action to endanger his life. Why should we do that? His family has done very well in the political arena. This is not a country that stops people from doing what they want to do, so long as it is within the law."
Syed Hamid said Anwar's claims were merely "play-acting" by the Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader to "gain sympathy and make everyone believe his life is in danger".
"This has nothing to do with the government. If a private person reports something, it is the duty of the police to investigate."
[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/2282071/Article/index_html]
Najib: Chinese will not be left out in Ninth Plan - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Chinese will not be left out in strategies to eradicate socio-economic inequalities in the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
Najib, who gave a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday explaining the details of the third thrust of the strategy framework of the MTR , said an additional explanatory statement needed to be outlined to prevent the issue from being misunderstood by any party.
He added the third thrust, which concentrated on addressing persistent socio-economic inequalities between ethnic groups, would give emphasis on three groups which still lagged behind the other races in terms of income and wealth ownership.
Najib said the three groups were the bumiputras, bumiputras from Sabah and Sarawak and the Indian community.
“This effort will not discriminate against the Chinese community and other groups as outlined under the national philosophy of growth which we had been practising since the 1970s,” he said .
Najib said emphasis would be given to the bumiputras to enable them to have 19.4% equity ownership in the corporate sector, 15% ownership of premises and an average income of RM3,156 each; Sabah and Sarawak bumiputras to have 3% ownership in the corporate sector and have an average income from RM2,063 to RM2,858 each; and the Indians to have 1.1% ownership in the corporate sector, 3.8% premises ownership and an average income of RM3,799.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/1/nation/21701131&sec=nation]
Family shoots down conspiracy theory - The Star
By Faslika Das and Ong Eu Lin
PETALING JAYA: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s family stands by him and stresses that no one put them up to accuse Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy.
An uncle of Mohd Saiful, who did not want to be named, said the family was on its own in this matter.
“We are not getting any backing from the Government. We are on our own but as a family we fully support Saiful.
“We had asked for the Government’s help but they have chosen to back off and not dirty their hands,” he said when met at his house here yesterday.
The uncle added that they had repeatedly called the Inspector-General of Police but were told to stop calling his number.
He said his nephew had initially approached the Bukit Aman police station to lodge his report against Anwar but they turned him away upon learning who he was accusing.
Mohd Saiful eventually found a police station in Kuala Lumpur which was willing to accept his report, his uncle added.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/1/nation/21704198&sec=nation]
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Government Assures Anwar of Safety - TheStarOnline.tv
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak denied any involvement in the sodomy allegation against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He was speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby Monday.
Anwar leaves Turkish Embassy - The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim left the Turkish Embassy at about 6.45pm on Monday, accompanied by his wife PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The couple left in a black MPV and were headed for their home in Bukit Segambut, his lawyer Sankara Nair said.
Anwar had been holed up in the Turkish Embassy since 6am Sunday, seeking shelter because he said he had received death threats after his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhary Azlan had lodged a police report alleging that Anwar had sexually assaulted and sodomised him.
He denied the sodomy allegations, and has filed a suit against Mohd Saiful for allegedly lodging a false and malicious police report.
Anwar is expected to address his supporters at 9pm tonight at the PKR headquarers in Merchant Square, Tropicana in Petaling Jaya.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/30/nation/20080630191613&sec=nation]
Anwar files libel suit against aide - Malaysiakini
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
PKR's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim this morning filed a defamation suit against his aide over claims of sodomy.
In the suit which was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court registry in Jalan Duta, Anwar also claimed that the police report lodged by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was an abuse of the process of law.
On Saturday the 23-year-old Saiful had lodged a police report claiming that Anwar had sodomised him at a luxury condominium in Damansara.
The suit was today filed on Anwar's behalf by his lawyers. Anwar is presently seeking refuge at the Turkish embassy after claiming that his life was in danger.
His lawyers, led by Ranjit Singh, said the suit was aimed at clearing his name in court following the scandal which could derail his political aspirations of becoming prime minister.
PKR vice-president and lawyer S Sivarasa who also appeared on behalf of Anwar told reporters that they have asked for the heaing to be held soon.
[More at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85288]
Azmin: Accuser was a 'plant' - NST
SHAH ALAM: Threats against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have forced him to seek refuge at a safe location, his wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
Wan Azizah, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat president, described the sodomy allegation against Anwar as the second political conspiracy and attempt on her husband's life.
"You must take into account that when he was detained last time, he was beaten up.
"We have to take this into consideration. This is the second political conspiracy in the country," she said.
The police have not indicated that an arrest is imminent. However, a statement from Anwar in connection with the sodomy allegation is being sought.
At the same press conference, PKR vice-president Azmin Ali alleged that Anwar's accuser was a "plant" by "certain personalities to make this vicious attack against Anwar".
He said the complainant joined the party during the election campaign period.
[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Frontpage/2281040/Article/index_html]
Man behind Anwar sodomy report seen posing with Cabinet ministers - The Star
SHAH ALAM: PKR has released four sets of pictures showing the man who made a police report alleging sodomy by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The pictures were taken at the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the accuser was posing with three Cabinet ministers.
One of the pictures showed Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, posing with Khairil Anas Yusof, an aide at the Deputy Prime Minister's office.
“I have a picture actually showing the link to the Deputy Prime Minister,” PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told a packed press conference after the PKR supreme council meeting.
“The young man who lodged the police report (against Anwar) was in the Deputy Prime Minister's office. I think that is explanatory.
“Next to the young man is the Deputy Prime Minister's special officer Khairil Anas Yusof,” she said.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/30/nation/21695182&sec=nation]
Sunday, June 29, 2008
PKR fears Anwar an assassination target - Malaysiakini.tv
PKR today said party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has received threats to his life and is currently holed up at the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
According to PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, the latest move to implicate Anwar in a sodomy charge lodged by an aide signaled a more serious effort by certain quarters to silence him for good.
Wan Azizah Denies Sodomy Claim Against Anwar - Bernama
SHAH ALAM, June 29 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim failed to turn up at a press conference to answer a sodomy allegation here Sunday but instead his wife Datin Seri Wan Azizah showed up to defend him, citing that it was a political conspiracy.
Wan Azizah, who is also PKR president, denied that her husband had sodomised his personal assistant.
"I would like to say that it is a second political conspiracy against my husband," Wan Azizah said.
She was accompanied by her daughter, Nurul Izzah, who is also the MP for Lembah Pantai, PKR deputy president Datuk Syed Husin Ali and PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.
The 23-year-old personal assistant lodged a report at the Jalan Travers police station in Kuala Lumpur Saturday alleging that he was sodomised by Anwar at a house in Damansara Heights on Thursday. Wan Azizah said police had not taken any statement from Anwar in connection with the allegation.
She said Anwar had received death threats and he was now being holed-up in a safe place.
Asked to elaborate on the threats, she said, "Friends told us to take care of him and that his life was in danger."
Meanwhile, Azmin said Anwar could not turn up for the press conference as his safety was at stake following the death threats recently.
[More at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=342771]
Malaysia's Anwar seeks refuge after sodomy claim - Reuters
By Jalil Hamid
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim took refuge at the Turkish embassy on Sunday due to fears he could be assassinated after fresh accusations of sodomy.
The developments come at a time of heightened political tension in Malaysia after the government's worst ever election result earlier this year put pressure on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to quit.
Anwar, who was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and later jailed for sodomy and corruption, has seen a revival of his fortunes since the opposition alliance's strong showing in the March election. Anwar has said the old charges were trumped up, and said the new accusations were politically motivated.
"I was transported to the embassy earlier this morning fearing that my personal safety was in danger," Anwar said in a statement.
"I have been told that my assassination has not been ruled out as a means to subvert the people's will and bring an end to the transformational changes taking place in Malaysia," he said.
Anwar says he has won enough support from ruling coalition lawmakers to form a new government by September, which has sparked fears of policy shifts and unsettled investors.
[More at http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2008-06-29T134003Z_01_KLR202077_RTRUKOC_0_UK-MALAYSIA-ANWAR.xml]
