Anwar says Mahathir is afraid to face him

Anwar says Mahathir is afraid to face him
REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR, JUNE 7: Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, making a final bid to force Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad appear at his sex trial, said on Wednesday Mahathir was afraid to face him and accused him of hiding behind the court.

"Once again it's clear that Mahathir is taking cover behind the court," Anwar said in a hand-written note issued to reporters covering his sodomy trial in Kuala Lumpur high court.

"He dares to slander and conspire against me but he is afraid to face me and give evidence in court," Anwar said.

Malaysia's court of appeal decided on Monday to uphold a ruling by Anwar's trial judge that the Prime Minister need not testify at the trial of his former deputy and finance minister.

Anwar said he would make a final appeal to the federal court, the country's highest court, to get Mahathir to testify.

Anwar accuses Mahathir of leading a conspiracy to destroy him. Mahathir says he sacked Anwar because of his low morals.

"It's regrettable that the court made its decision in favour of Mahathir...without giving any reason," Anwar said in his note. "The decision was made in half a minute," he said, referring to the one-sentence ruling.

Anwar's trial has been postponed since last month after high court Judge Arifin Jaka ruled that Mahathir was not a material witness in the case.

The high court ordered his sex trial to resume on Wednesday, but the defence said it wanted the federal court to hear his appeal first.

Anwar was fired by Mahathir from all posts in government and the ruling party in September 1998, and indicted on sex and corruption charges. He has been in jail since April last year.