UMNO-BN USING POLICE TO MOVE AGAINST ANWAR IBRAHIM BEFORE 13TH GENERAL ELECTION

For the third time since 1998, the Barisan Nasional government is complicit in fabricating criminal charges in an attempt to end the political career of National Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and halt political and economic reform in this country.

UMNO-BN are using the police force to move aggressively against Anwar Ibrahim just as the general election is about to be called. On 16 November 2011, the opposition leader was ordered to report for police questioning, and was forced to attend Kepong police station instead of performing his duties as parliamentary opposition leader. A new criminal investigation had been launched against him based on a report made by one DSP Shanmugamoorthy who had investigated Anwar’s complaint of intimidation, blackmail and criminal defamation by the ‘Datuk T’ trio. Thus, from being an aggrieved complainant, the authorities have made Anwar the accused person. The entire investigation has been carefully orchestrated by the top police leadership, with the knowledge and complicity of the Attorney General. Unusually, investigation papers were already in the A-G’s hands even before Anwar was called in for questioning. More disturbingly, although the police report was lodged in September this year, Anwar was called in only last week. This indicates hidden hands manipulating the investigation and choosing a politically opportune time to move against Anwar.

There is no doubt now that a massive new conspiracy is afoot to charge, try and imprison Anwar Ibrahim. In any real democracy, the opposition leader plays a key role in questioning and checking governmental action. The bringing of baseless, politically motivated criminal charges against the Leader of the Opposition is an outrage against the democratic norms that are the bedrock of our nation. UMNO-BN must cease this criminal abuse of state powers and institutions in order to undermine the opposition and cling on to political power. We call upon the BN government to drop all politically motivated investigations and prosecutions against Anwar Ibrahim and to participate in democratic politics by rational public debate and discourse.

N SURENDRAN
VICE PRESIDENT
KEADILAN