(Kajang, Saturday): The DAP Central Working Committee will meet next Tuesday to discuss the possibility of snap general elections next month after the Commonwealth Games and the Anwar reformation movement. The CWC will also discuss the "Free Guan Eng" campaign.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said the nightly ceramahs at Anwar Ibrahim�s house in Bukit Damansara will be allowed to go on because Malaysia is a democratic country.
If Malaysia is truly a democratic country, then Anwar should have been allowed to address the tens of thousands of people who turned up in Bangi last night to listen to him explain the background for his sacking as Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister as well as removal as UMNO Deputy President and the reformation movement he has launched.
The crowd at Bangi last night was estimated at between 20,000 and 30,000 people, compared with 100,000 at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games nearby.
It would appear that the phenomenon of Damansara Heights, where every night thousands of people of different races and socio-economic groups gather in a political efferverscence to hear Anwar Ibrahim�s message of political reformation, calling on Malaysians to stand up for justice and to oppose corruption and cronyism, is not just a Damansara Heights phenomenon but a nation-wide phenomenon.
On Thursday, the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor also said that investigations into the alleged sexual misconduct of the former Deputy Prime Minister were entering the final stage and that once police have prima facie evidence, the investigation papers will be handed over to the Public Prosecutor. It is then up to the Public Prosecutor to decide whether to charge Anwar or not. He declined to say when the investigations are expected to be completed, adding that it depends on how fast evidence could be gathered.
The IGP�s statement must have come as a shock to all Malaysians, for the question uppermost in everbody�s mind is how Anwar could be sacked as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister when there is still no prima facie evidence that he is guilty of the multitude of charges of sexual misconduct levelled against him.
Doesn�t the principle of a person is innocent until proven guilty apply in the case of the Deputy Prime Minister? And if a Deputy Prime Minister cannot get justice, how can the ordinary 21 million Malaysians expect to get justice in the country.
What is equally shocking is the omission of Rahim�s statement. The IGP made no reference whatsoever to police investigations into other even more serious charges against Anwar, namely corruption, sedition, murder and high treason. Is this omission indicative that the Police has dropped all investigations into these other charges and are only concentrating on the charges of sexual misconduct?
It is manifestly unfair that ten days after a trial and conviction by media against Anwar of a multitude of high crimes and sexual misconduct, the Police still says that they are in the "final stage" of investigations.
(12/9/98)