Thursday, August 7, 2008

Syed Hamid on why Saiful wasn't charged

KUALA LUMPUR: Aug 7, 2008

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is not being charged because he is the key witness in the sodomy case against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar.

He said that in a criminal justice system, when a person comes forward to report on a matter, the person would be protected.

"Usually, the victim would be given protection," said Syed Hamid who spoke to reporters after the MoU signing ceremony between Malaysian and Australian Governments on immigration cooperation at a hotel here on Thursday.

He also said that Anwar is innocent until proven guilty by the court.

"However, it doesn't mean that we can't take action against him just because he is a VIP," he said.

He also advised the public not to jump into any conclusion before the court decides the case.

In the police report he lodged on June 28, Saiful had claimed he was forcibly sodomised. Anwar is however being charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code, which implies consensual sodomy.

“If it is “suka sama suka” (consensual), why was I the only one being charged? If it is consensual, both should be charged,” Anwar said after coming out of the courtroom in Jalan Duta on Thursday.

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