Najib Not Involved In Anuar Case...

Najib: I have no link to Anwar's accuser or case

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he was not connected in any way to the sodomy allegations against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat officials had on Sunday attempted to tie Najib to Anwar's accuser by producing a picture of the latter in the foyer of the deputy prime minister's office.

"I am not involved at all in the case. The picture was taken three months ago."

Najib said the Anwar aide who made the allegations had come to his office on Feb 12 seeking help to obtain a scholarship from the government.

"He was a student leader and met my officer. He also took pictures with other leaders," he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday after chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on foreign workers.
Elaborating in a statement to Bernama, Najib said the aide was a former student of Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) while the officer in the photograph was responsible for, among other things, higher education.

"It is normal for guests, particularly students, who come to the office of the deputy prime minister to pose for photographs with officers as a record of their visit."

Najib said the contention by PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail that the photograph was "evidence of an intention to wipe out" Anwar's political career was "baseless and intended to shift the focus of attention away from the actual accusation".

"As such, it is better that we wait for the police to conduct their investigation to determine the authenticity of the accusation and not make accusations and statements of a political nature and drag people who are not involved into the case," he said in the statement.

In the Parliament lobby, Najib said rather than point figures, the focus of the sodomy allegations should be on whether the act actually took place.

"The main question is, did the act take place? That is for police to establish."

On Anwar's fears for his safety, Najib said that they were unfounded.

"He has not been harassed all this time, especially when he was campaigning as opposition leader.

"This is not a question of political persecution, but a question of the law and the law must be allowed to take its course."

"We have never threatened his life. We have not harmed any politician and we have no intention of doing so.

"That is not the stand of the Barisan Nasional."

Asked about the likelihood of a repeat of Anwar's beating in police custody in 1998, Najib was emphatic.

"No, no, no. That was a very unfortunate incident."

On whether official protection would be given to Anwar, Najib said that was up to the police.

He said since Anwar was holed up in the Turkish embassy, the government would adhere to international laws.

"We need to establish whether this is asking for political asylum or seeking protection from the country's laws.

"We will leave it to the police to investigate and after that the government will decide on its next course of action. However, we will act in accordance with international law.

"He (Anwar) has not been charged. It depends on the police investigation. We must establish whether there is a criminal case against him."

news source: nst.com.ny written by ellen ng