FULL REPORT PETALING JAYA: Another former aide to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has alleged that he was forced to sign a statutory declaration in relation to the sodomy case.
Rasid Rosdi, who had served time in the Sungai Buloh prison during Anwar's incarceration there, filed a police report on the matter with the Shah Alam district police headquarters this afternoon.
"On June 28, 2008, after Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan made a police report against Anwar, I was asked to go to Quality Hotel (in Shah Alam).
“I was held there for several days and was watched 24 hours. Also detained with me was Awnar's former aide Rahimi Osman," he said in a statement.
Contacted later, Shah Alam police chief ACP Noor Azam Jamaluddin confirmed receiving the report.
He told FMT that the case would be referred to Bukit Aman for further investigations as it was similar to the Rahimi case.
Last Wednesday, Rahimi lodged a police report claiming that he was forced to sign two statutory declarations in 2008 that "accused" Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor of conspiring against Anwar.
Rahimi had claimed that "Anwar's men" and laywers, including PKR information chief Latheefa Koya and Saiful Izham Ramli, had forced him to stay at Quality Hotel.
Anwar's lawyers had denied the charge.
'Latheefa wrote the SD and asked me to sign'
Meanwhile, Rasid said he got to know Anwar when he was in jail and had later worked with him after both were released.
Recounting the time that he was allegedly forced to sign the SD, Rasid claimed that he was only allowed to go home after he inked the document which was written by Latheefa.
"I did not agree with the contents of the SD. Latheefa never told me about the contents and I did not understand it completely,” he said, adding that he had never appointed Latheefa as his lawyer either.
Rasid said Latheefa should have realised that he was not highly educated and explained the matter to him.
"She should have told me what the SD was all about but she did not do so. I felt cheated. As a lawyer, she should not do such a thing to me," he added.
Rasid said he inked the document because he was "worried" about his "personal and family's safety" and considering that he was held and guarded closely for 24 hours at the hotel.
Claiming to have encountered several “bad incidents” at the hotel, which he did not specify, Rasid said: “I was forced to obey whatever they asked me to do.”
Rasid said that he had remained in fear since that incident and constantly felt disturbed for having signed the SD.
"I felt very pressured and had to go for counselling. After a few sessions, I felt more at peace and tried to conviced myself to right the mistake.
“When I saw my friend Rahimi coming forward (with his allegation), I felt brave and confident to do the same," he said.
Rasid said he had made a new SD to "tell the true story" but could not reveal the details as it would interfere with Anwar's court case.
"I am extremely disappointed with this action. A few of Anwar's lawyers are trying to hide the truth. They would go to the extent of pawning my future and my dignity for their own purpose,” he added.
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