Anwar’s arrest: A day of high drama

Gobind Singh Deo in the video above says Anwar is in good spirits and hopes that he will be released by the end of the day. The news of Anwar’s arrest has flashed across the world. It is one of the main headlines on BBC: “Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim arrested“. The Lingam videotape scandal has been completely forgotten.

Earlier this afternoon, Anwar was arrested and taken into a police Mitsubishi Pajero where he was seen with his face covered with a cloth and flanked by two policemen in balaclavas, reports the NST.

He was brought to the city contingent police headquarters. The Malaysian Insider reports that, soon after his arrest this afternoon, more pandemonium erupted in Parliament when Azmin Ali challenged the government to reveal who issued the order for Anwar’s arrest.

“What is Syed Hamid Albar, the Home Minister’s, stand? Who gave the order? Is it the IGP,” he spat out.

“I request action be taken against the IGP. The cruelty that was taken will damn the country’s security system.

“We do not believe Anwar is in police hands,” he added, and reminded the chamber of the previous IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor’s promise 10 years ago that Anwar would be kept safe and sound while in remand, only to pop up with a black eye after that.

Addressing the deputy speaker directly, Azmin urged him to take action.

“Don’t listen to the son-in-law, don’t listen to the IGP. Please use the powers at your service to address this issue,” he concluded, to loud table thumping from his fellow Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

Jerlun MP, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, then sprang up to rebut Azmin’s charges. However, his words only served to add more fuel to the highly-charged issue at hand.

“The question I want to know, as a representative of the people, the people of Jerlun: Did Datuk Seri Anwar commit sodomy or didn’t he?

“I believe Datuk Seri Anwar did. Certainly he did commit this ‘keji’ act,” he said, causing the entire Opposition flank to break into an uproar beyond the control of the deputy speaker.

Unbelievable stuff. What has become of Malaysia – when the entire political and public stage is reduced to debating – did he or didn’t he?

Video of Anwar after visit to the ACA this morning.

Meanwhile, Anwar’s office has issued the following statement:

This afternoon at 1:05 PM Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, was arrested outside of his home in Kuala Lumpur. He was due to issue a statement at IPK KL (Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters) at 2:00 PM based on an agreement reached with the police on Tuesday.

Anwar Ibrahim was returning from the Anti Corruption Agency to his home after giving a statement pertaining to the police report that has been filed regarding suppression of material facts in the case involving him in 1998. He was accompanied by his senior legal team, staff, and security.

As he entered the neighborhood of his home, a contingent of ten police cars, half unmarked and half patrol, forced the two cars in Anwar Ibrahim’s entourage to stop. There was a contingent of 20 balaklava-clad masked commandos (UTK) who accosted him, reminiscent of the forces sent to arrest Anwar Ibrahim at his home in September 1998.

An officer approached Anwar Ibrahim and demanded that he accompany the police in an unmarked vehicle to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters. His lawyers were not permitted to travel with him to the police station.

This arrest has taken place less than fifteen hours after Anwar Ibrahim appeared live on Malaysian television for the first time since 1998 and announced to millions of viewers his intention to stand for election, and upon the formation of a new government, to lower the domestic price of fuel by 50 sen. The overwhelming majority of Malaysians expressed their support of his televised statement.

These events are deeply disturbing to us and indicate that this entire episode is a repeat of the actions taken against Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. During the last few weeks the government owned mainstream media has demonized and vilified him. His staff has been harassed and we see a conspiracy being hatched to thwart the political change that is imminent in Malaysia.

Under no circumstances will the people of Malaysia and the international community tolerate any harm coming to Anwar Ibrahim. We remind Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi of the promise he made to ensure Anwar Ibrahim’s protection.

We have been able to communicate with Anwar Ibrahim, who calls upon his supporters and the people of Malaysia to remain calm and to reject any attempts at provocation, which will give a pretext for an emergency situation to be declared.

OFFICE OF ANWAR IBRAHIM