Anwar rejects sodomy charges as 'blatant, vicious lie'

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Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Monday launched a spirited defence in court against the sodomy charge against him, terming it a 'blatant and vicious lie' framed by Prime Minister Najib Razak to send him into 'political oblivion'.

Taking the stand for the first time, 64-year-old Anwar outrightly rejected the sodomy allegations levelled by a former aide.

"I state, in no uncertain terms, that I have never had any sexual relations with the complainant, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. Saiful's allegation is a blatant and vicious lie and will be proved to be so," 64-year-old Anwar told the High Court here on Monday.

"This entire process is nothing but a conspiracy by Prime Minister Najib Razak to send me into political oblivion by attempting once again to put me behind bars," he said.

Anwar, a father of six children, gave his evidence from the dock as his defence on the charge of sodomising Saiful began in the courtroom packed with journalists and foreign diplomats.

The opposition leader, in his statement, started off with his experience in his 1998 sodomy trial, in which he was convicted and jailed, and categorically denied the charge against him.

Anwar added that the circumstances were so compelling that he elected to make a statement from the dock.

He claimed he has been deprived of a level playing field and subjected to inequality of arms vis-a-vis the prosecution.

"They can do all they want to sully my reputation and threaten me with... jail. They won't be able to cow me. The truth will prevail," he said.

Anwar is charged with sodomising his young male aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan in June 2008 and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Saiful has said he met with premier Najib before filing a police report on the sodomy accusation, which Anwar's defence team says indicates the case was manufactured.

Najib's government has denied involvement in the case. Earlier, at the start of the defence proceedings, Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh informed the court that his client was going to give evidence from the dock.

High Court Judge, Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, said Anwar had three options -- to give his evidence from the witness stand which means he can be cross-examined by the prosecution; to give his evidence from the dock which means he cannot be cross-examined by the prosecution but in coming up with a decision the court takes into account the fact that the prosecution has not cross-examined the accused; or to elect to remain silent. The court was adjourned till Tuesday.