Anwar's second conviction and sentence a black day for democracy and justice  in Malaysia

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Media Conference Statement 
- after the two-day Socialist International Asia-Pacific Committee meeting 
by Lim Kit Siang 

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Although the conviction is not unexpected and even the heavy nine-year jail sentence is not totally unthinkable, their announcements could not dull the sense of outrage and despair of many Malaysians who had hoped that basic decency and elementary justice would govern Malaysian public life.

The long-running trial of Anwar Ibrahim is no less than the long-running trial of Malaysia.  Today is a sad day, a black day, for democracy and justice in Malaysia.

The Socialist International Asia-Pacific Committee, which was opened and attended by the New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clarke, was shocked by news of Anwar's conviction and sentence at the close of the proceedings.

The Socialist Internatiodnal Asia-Pacific Committee meeting, which was attended by member parties in the region, including  the ruling parties of New Zealand,  Mongolia and Nepal as well as the ousted ruling Fijian Labour Party (led by the elected Prime Minister Mahenedra Chaudhry), representatives from member parties from Japan, India, Pakistan, Philippines, France, Italy, Sweden and  guests including Nobel Prize Laureate and East Timor Foreign Minister,  Jose Ramos Horta, adopted a joint statement expressing its "dismay" at Anwar's conviction and nine-year jail sentence today.

The Socialist International statement, which dealt with the problem of democracy, social justice and economic development in the region, made the following reference to Malaysia:

"In Malaysia, we note with alarm the unfair electoral process and abuses leading up to the general election in November 1999, and the further  relentless erosion of the fundamental rights to free expression, a just rule of law, a truly independent judiciary and the separation of powers.  We therefore express our full solidarity with the SI member Democratic Action Party as it redoubles its efforts under very difficult circumstances, to turn the tide in favour of democratisation and greater respect for justice and political and civil rights.  In addition, the Committee expresses its dismay at the new nine-year jail conviction of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, on top of the six-year jail sentence already imposed upon him in April 1999".