BN Feels No Pressure With Court's Decision On Anwar Ibrahim's Case

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) feels no fear nor pressure at all with the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision yesterday to acquit and discharge opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Dismissing such insinuations, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said BN had bravely gone through 12 general elections before and was prepared for the coming one, expected to be held this year.

Muhyiddin, who is also Umno deputy president and BN deputy chairman, said the experience gained all this while would assist the BN election machinery in facing the coming general election.

"There's no pressure. Who says we are under pressure? Whatever the decision, it was the court's. We prepare for the elections not because we are under pressure, then only we get cracking. But we have been working as usual.

"We have gone through the general election not once, but it's going to be for the 13th time. We have a lot of experience. So, we are not under pressure in this matter. We will face it no matter what the situation is."

Muhyiddin said this after delivering a special address to officers and staff of the Educaton Ministry at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, today.

He said BN respected the court's decision on Anwar's sodomy case and stressed that the judiciary had always been independent in making decisions, without any interference from outside, including political parties.

He said the court's decision too would definitely raise public confidence in the country's democratic practices pillared by the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary without interfering with each other's jurisdiction.

He added that yesterday's court decision also proved the transparency of the country's system of democracy to the outside world.

Muhyiddin believed that after this, no quarters including the opposition would accuse the BN government of injustice for what was happening in the country.

"I believe the court's decision would also convince Malaysians and the international community on the earnestness of the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in bringing the national transformation process to a higher level.

"This already could be seen at the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday," he said.