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Some 30 PKR Youth members staged a peaceful protest outside the Masjid Jamek Seberang Jaya in Penang after Friday prayers this afternoon.
Led by PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (left), they called on the federal government to let the Syariah Court hear Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case as well.
They said the syariah proceedings can run concurrently with the civil proceedings.
Anwar has been accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
The PKR supremo has denied the allegation and accused the government of hatching 'another plot' to topple him.
Using a loud hailer, Shamsul Iskandar chided Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Islamic affairs Mohamad Jamil Khir Baharum for saying that the Syariah Court trial can only take place after the current civil court hearing had concluded its proceedings on Anwar sodomy case.
Shamsul claimed Mohamad Jamil’s parliamentary reply to Kulim MP Zulkifli Noordin recently amounted to an utter contempt on the Syariah Court.
“Jamil’s reply had undermined and tarnished the independence, dignity and integrity of the Syariah Court and Islamic laws in the country,” he said.
The youth leader said Jamil’s answer contravened the Federal Constitution, which upheld Syariah Court on par with the civil court.
He recalled PKR supremo Anwar’s complaint against Saiful with the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department on July 9, 2008.
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The complaint, referred to as qazaf in Islamic law, is to request a probe into 'false allegations' pertaining to adultery or sexual misconduct.
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Shamsul Iskandar said despite the complaint and subsequent statements recorded from Anwar, 62, and Saiful, 24, the religious authorities were yet to put the case on Syariah trial.
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He said Syariah had the power to conduct its own separate trial on the crime of qazaf.
Shamsul said the events related to Anwar’s ‘sodomy 2’ case clearly exposed a conspiracy plotted by the Umno and Barisan Nasional government top leadership to get rid of the opposition leader from the country’s political scene.
He cited the civil court pursuit to fast track the trial after dismissing Anwar’s application to quash the charge altogether as among the main reason to back his claim.
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“The High Court is insisting to proceed with the trial even though preliminary trial proved that there was no medical evidence to anal penetration, which is a pre-condition for a sodomy charge,” he said.
He also cited the Appeals Court decision not to order the prosecution to submit the evidence to the accused as among the reasons for him to believe that certain unseen hands were at work to jail Anwar.
The protest, which was held without a permit, started at 2pm and lasted for about 20 minutes.
The PKR youth leaders and members held up pro-Anwar banners amidst chants of ‘Reformasi’ , ‘Undur Najib’, ‘Undur Anwar’ and ‘Allahu-Akbar.’
The protestors dispersed peacefully following an advice from officer-in-charge Inspector Ahmad Hamzah Kasdi from Seberang Perai Tengah district branch.
Seberang Jaya state constituency comes under Anwar’s Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
Shasmsul Iskandar said today’s protest would be the start of a nationwide after Friday prayer-demonstration to be organised by PKR in seven other states until Anwar’s trial begins on Jan 25 next year.
PKR will also launch its 40-public rally programme in Kulim indoor stadium this month.
Starting from Kulim, the party will hold 40 rallies across the country to explain about Anwar’s sodomy charge and the alleged conspiracy to topple the Pakatan Rakyat leader.
Shamsul Iskandar said PKR will also utilise the cyber space by carrying facebook and blog campaigns to disseminate the correct information on the case.
“We are convinced that the current sodomy case is exact déjà vu script of the first sodomy case hatched in 1998.
“But we would like warn the authorities that this time the people would not just sit back and watch the dirty tactic to work.
“Justice must prevail.
“Or else we will take our case to the streets to seek justice,” said the youth leader.
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