Will Anwar be sent back to jail?

'If sodomy is such a heinous crime as made out by Umno, I wonder, how many people have our authorities convicted of sodomy over the past 10 years?'

Anwar's 'gut feeling' in sodomy trial outcome

Cala: Will Anwar Ibrahim be jailed for Sodomy II? Ask any person on the street, she or he will tell you straight in the face that the whole episode is a hoax and devoid of evidence.

Anwar is confident that he will not be jailed because he is thinking logically; he believes that no right-thinking soul will do anything silly like that. As Anwar argued, what benefit will such decision-making bring to the regime?

But it is here that I beg to differ. Not everybody behaves the same in a given situation. Not everybody possesses the same cognitive ability. As a result, the outcome from reading a situation will hardly be the same due to information asymmetry.

Let me illustrate. PM Najib Razak (say) may opt for short-term interests in deciding whether Anwar should be made immobile. But if Najib (say) is concerned about long-term interests of the regime, then certainly it is foolhardy to convict Anwar for Sodomy II (see the swing in Malay votes after Sodomy I).

Cannon: For umpteen years, sodomy is one subject that has constantly hogged our Malaysian news. If sodomy is such a heinous crime as made out to be by the Umno government, I wonder, how many people have our authorities convicted of sodomy over the past 10 years?

If, in the whole of Malaysia, the government can only find one and the same person to prosecute over the past decade, does it not appear fishy? It's obvious from what we've seen and heard in court, the regime is more interested in punishing the man, rather than his purported offence.

Proarte: I personally believe that Anwar never wanted to be the PKR leader because he still harboured intentions of rejoining Umno. Umno would be his easiest route to power. Anwar has always felt the position of PM was 'stolen' from him and is rightfully his.

However, Umno has resolutely spurned him and it appears Anwar is finally getting the message. Having the weak and ineffectual Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as PKR president was his 'back-up plan' in case his bid for Umno leadership fell through. His daughter being appointed vice-president is again in the worst traditions of dynastic rule - so much for 'new' politics.

It is clear that Azmin Ali's loyalty to Anwar has not been reciprocated as evidenced by his negative comments on Azmin - 'limitations, weaknesses', Sabah 'calm' after his wife 'rescued' the situation (from Azmin), not 'accommodative, conciliatory or guarded', Azmin is no comparison to himself whom he mentions in the same breath as Mandela, Gandhi and Prophet Muhammad. Anwar is a liability for Pakatan.

Adcin: Proarte, Anwar is an enigma waiting to be unravelled, but maybe not as you see it. What I do know is that he is much smarter than PM Najib Razak and he will use his underdog and victim status to maximum effect, if you let him. On the contrary, whether we like it or not, Anwar is Pakatan's greatest asset in the coming general elections.

Ferdtan: The ever optimist Anwar still wants to believe in the goodness of the judiciary. He has no choice but to play along, hoping that at least one judge would be brave enough to do the right thing.

The case should be dismissed before calling for Anwar's defence. The charge against Anwar is so ridiculous that even a kid would know the difference. Saiful said it was a forced 'rape', but the attorney-general in the charge sheet said it was a consensual sex. Someone is lying there: Saiful or AG?

As for Kita's Zaid Ibrahim - the less said, the better. He is one vindictive person who has earned the wrath of all Malaysians. Now he has become a gutter politician who has a fixation on the sex issue.

Alan Goh: Who want to bet, at 10-to-1, DSAI (Anwar) will be found guilty after his defence is called. His appeal will be heard, and again he will be found guilty. This is Umno's ploy to keep DSAI busy and out of politics.

DSAI will be spared the prison sentence, until and unless, he is incapacitated due to ill-health or accident perhaps. After the 13GE, when Umno wins with a two-thirds majority, then like a bolt of thunder, all charges against DSAI will be dropped.

Loyal Malaysian: Good luck, Anwar. I wish I have your confidence in our judiciary.