Gobind Singh Deo tears into lead prosecutor Mohd Shafee Abdullah’s accusation saying the opposite is true.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Gobind Singh Deo, son of the late Karpal Singh, today lambasted Mohd Shafee Abdullah, lead prosecutor in Anwar Ibrahim’s recent sodomy trial, for suggesting that his father “threw the first stone” against Anwar.
Describing Shafee’s allegations as “utter rubbish” and “the lowest of low,” the Puchong MP invoked Hansard, the official parliamentary record of proceedings to set the record straight.
He pointed out that various allegations, including that of sexual misconduct, were first made against Anwar in 1997 and that in keeping with his duties as MP, Karpal had called for an investigation into the matter and action to be taken against the perpetrators in the event that investigations showed the allegations to be without basis and politically motivated.
According to Gobind, then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed had described the allegations as ridiculous and slanderous and said, “penyebar khabar angin, termasuk mengenai perletakan jawatan Menteri Kewangan ‘sepatutnya ditembak’” (those spreading rumours including of the resignation of the Finance Minister “ought to be shot”).
Then Attorney General Mohtar Abdullah had also classified the allegations as baseless and said that no action would be taken in the matter, Gobind added.
Gobind pointed out that despite this, Anwar was dismissed as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister and thereafter charges of sexual misconduct and abuse of power were preferred against him.
“Mr Karpal has explained time and again, even in Parliament that owing to the events described above, he believed that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of a political conspiracy and that Anwar Ibrahim was innocent of those accusations thrown against him,” Gobind’s statement said.
Gobind continued that it was his late father, who by raising the matter in Parliament in 1997, pinned the then PM and AG down to their declarations of innocence for Anwar Ibrahim against all the allegations levelled at him.
“This made them look like absolute fools when they later came out to support and pursue charges in respect of the same allegations they had earlier declared to be baseless against Anwar Ibrahim, shortly after his sacking as DPM,” Gobind said.
He added that by doing this, Karpal had “struck at the heart of the matter” for the question was raised later as to how a man declared innocent one day could become guilty the next, “what more only after a political storm with his master?”
Gobind explained that this had become the basis for a defence of “political conspiracy, bad faith and persecution against Anwar Ibrahim.”
Karpal went on to defend Anwar against charges of sodomy preferred against the later in 1999, for which Anwar was acquitted.
Gobind said that the acquittal served to prove that Karpal was right all along.
KUALA LUMPUR: Gobind Singh Deo, son of the late Karpal Singh, today lambasted Mohd Shafee Abdullah, lead prosecutor in Anwar Ibrahim’s recent sodomy trial, for suggesting that his father “threw the first stone” against Anwar.
Describing Shafee’s allegations as “utter rubbish” and “the lowest of low,” the Puchong MP invoked Hansard, the official parliamentary record of proceedings to set the record straight.
He pointed out that various allegations, including that of sexual misconduct, were first made against Anwar in 1997 and that in keeping with his duties as MP, Karpal had called for an investigation into the matter and action to be taken against the perpetrators in the event that investigations showed the allegations to be without basis and politically motivated.
According to Gobind, then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed had described the allegations as ridiculous and slanderous and said, “penyebar khabar angin, termasuk mengenai perletakan jawatan Menteri Kewangan ‘sepatutnya ditembak’” (those spreading rumours including of the resignation of the Finance Minister “ought to be shot”).
Then Attorney General Mohtar Abdullah had also classified the allegations as baseless and said that no action would be taken in the matter, Gobind added.
Gobind pointed out that despite this, Anwar was dismissed as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister and thereafter charges of sexual misconduct and abuse of power were preferred against him.
“Mr Karpal has explained time and again, even in Parliament that owing to the events described above, he believed that Anwar Ibrahim was a victim of a political conspiracy and that Anwar Ibrahim was innocent of those accusations thrown against him,” Gobind’s statement said.
Gobind continued that it was his late father, who by raising the matter in Parliament in 1997, pinned the then PM and AG down to their declarations of innocence for Anwar Ibrahim against all the allegations levelled at him.
“This made them look like absolute fools when they later came out to support and pursue charges in respect of the same allegations they had earlier declared to be baseless against Anwar Ibrahim, shortly after his sacking as DPM,” Gobind said.
He added that by doing this, Karpal had “struck at the heart of the matter” for the question was raised later as to how a man declared innocent one day could become guilty the next, “what more only after a political storm with his master?”
Gobind explained that this had become the basis for a defence of “political conspiracy, bad faith and persecution against Anwar Ibrahim.”
Karpal went on to defend Anwar against charges of sodomy preferred against the later in 1999, for which Anwar was acquitted.
Gobind said that the acquittal served to prove that Karpal was right all along.
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