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Change Your Life! |
Mahathir files affidavit in effort to avoid testifying in Anwar trial |
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News
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April 5, 2000
KUALA LUMPUR, APR 4 (AP) - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday filed a combative, 14-page affidavit that outlined why he should not be forced to testify in the sodomy trial of his ousted deputy, Anwar Ibrahim.
Mahathir said he should not have to take the witness stand in the highly sensational sex trial because he had never conspired to fabricate evidence against his one-time protege.
"I bestowed full trust upon Anwar, whom I viewed as a decent man who upheld Islamic teachings," Mahathir said in the sworn affidavit obtained by The Associated Press.
Mahathir had earlier said he was ready to testify if ordered to do so, but said he suspected it would be a "political stunt."
Anwar, whom Mahathir fired in September 1998, is serving a six-year jail term for corruption and is standing trial for sodomy. His attorneys have accused Mahathir of plotting to ruin him when Anwar became too popular and have demanded that he answer questions about an alleged political conspiracy against their client.
Anwar's attorneys said Tuesday their client was going to work through the night in his jail cell to produce "a devastating reply" to Mahathir's affidavit.
The defense attorneys will be filing Anwar's reply Wednesday.
The former No. 2 politician had also written a 10-page affidavit last month saying he believed Mahathir gave orders to police and other government agencies to fabricate the sodomy charges against him.
Mahathir's sworn statement carefully rebutted all the allegations point-for-point.
The prime minister said that when he first heard allegations three years ago that Anwar was allegedly involved in illegal sex acts, he immediately dismissed those as rumors.
"At that time, I believed that Anwar could never carry out such heinous and filthy acts. So I advised Anwar to ignore such irresponsible and malicious allegations," Mahathir said.
However, he said he changed his mind after police investigations the following year convinced him that Anwar had indeed sodomized his former family driver, Azizan Abu Bakar, on one occasion in early 1993. So he had not choice but to sack Anwar, Mahathir said.
"I could not allow such an amoral person to stay on as deputy prime minister and replace me as prime minister," he wrote.
Mahathir also used the affidavit to mount a defense for his trusted associate, Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, and vouched that Daim was never involved in any high-level conspiracy to topple Anwar.
Mahathir then denied that he used his influence to pressure the state oil company years ago to rescue a beleaguered shipping company headed by his son, Mirzan, one of Malaysia's most influential businessmen.
In the affidavit, Mahathir also denied allegations by Anwar that he used his executive powers to manipulate the judiciary and the police.
"I say with all my heart that I have never, at any point of time, given any orders or conspired with anyone to fabricate evidence accusing Anwar of sodomy," Mahathir concluded, insisting that the defense's attempts to drag him to court smacked of ill-will and constituted an abuse of the legal system.
Earlier in the day, Daim also stepped up efforts to avoid testifying in the trial. His attorney filed an affidavit in court giving reasons why he should not be forced to take the witness stand, lawyers said.
The contents of the affidavit were not disclosed.
Judge Ariffin Jaka adjourned the hearing until Wednesday to allow defense lawyers time to prepare their arguments against Daim's and Mahathir's latest affidavits.
Anwar could face another 20 years if convicted for sodomy, a crime in this predominantly Muslim Southeast Asian nation.
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