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Mahathir broke court order, claims
- Subject: Mahathir broke court order, claims
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 22:37:00
Subject: Mahathir broke court order, claims Anwar
Politics
Mahathir broke court
order, claims Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR -- Ousted Malaysian
deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim charged on
Thursday that Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad had ordered a lavish jet and had
also violated a court ban on public
comment on his case.
As his trial entered its ninth day, casting a
shadow over the start of high-profile Apec
meetings, Anwar said Mahathir had told the
finance ministry to order a ''new and very
sophisticated executive jet.
''The impressive interior decor of this
aircraft was designed by Dr Mahathir
himself,'' he said in a statement read out by
his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, outside
the court.
The plane, Global Express, allegedly cost
200 million ringgit (US$52.6 million) and
was expected to arrive next month.
Anwar also said the cost of Mahathir's
residence at a new government centre
exceeded 200 million ringgit, instead of the
government's figure of 17.5 million ringgit.
''The people can see for themselves how
the prime minister lives in his glittering
palace and flies in his sophisticated
executive jet,'' said Anwar, who prepared
the statement from his cell.
The former deputy premier and finance
minister, sacked by Mahathir on Sept 2,
has pleaded not guilty to 10 corruption and
sodomy charges.
During a brief court adjournment on
Thursday, Anwar was overheard telling his
relatives that Mahathir violated a court gag
order on public comment on his case.
''They said no commenting on the case but
the PM said something. There are two sets
of laws, one for me and one for Dr M,''
Anwar said, apparently referring to
Mahathir's interview with CNN on Tuesday.
Mahathir had told CNN: ''I felt he [Anwar]
was not compatible for the role he was
going to play as premier. This moral issue
we cannot accept.
''Once the trial is over and people know
what is right and what is wrong, I think they
will have disposition. This issue will be
resolved.''
Anwar, who was ordered on Wednesday
not to comment on his case, was also
heard saying in court that it was unfair that
poison pen letters were used against him,
when many such letters were also written
against his ex-boss.
He was alluding to clashes in the courtroom
on Thursday when his lawyers protested to
prosecutors calling on a police witness to
read out part of a purported second poison
pen letter entitled ''Final rites for Anwar''.
Senior police officer Mazlan Mohamed Din
later told the court that Anwar's former
driver Azizan Abu Bakar had sworn on the
Koran that Anwar had sodomised him.
''Azizan was very consistent in making his
allegation. I was of the view that Azizan is a
victim and difficult for him to come forward
to admit,'' said Mazlan, the seventh of 52
witnesses to take the stand.
The hearing of Anwar's 10 charges should
last until June, lawyers said.
Agence France-Presse