Monday, March 08, 2010

Anwar in VCD war

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has resorted to the use of VCD footage to press his claim that the sodomy charge against him is due to a political conspiracy.

NONEHowever, the tables are being somewhat turned on him by the mysterious circulation of another VCD (right) that appears to have been recorded during his days in the Sungai Buloh prison between April and October 2001 (right).

The footage is believed to have been downloaded from the Internet and produced as VCDs that have been making the rounds of houses in Bandar Baru Bangi since Saturday.

Questions arise as how the recording was made in prison, and how the footage was taken out of high-security facility.

The video is entitled 'Sandiwara Anwar sebab-sebab MP PKR keluar parti, tengok sampai habis' (Anwar's dramatics are reasons why PKR MPs are leaving the party, watch till the end).

It was apparently recorded at a time when Anwar was said to be suffering from back and neck problems.

The footage depicts Anwar's difficulty with walking, while visiting a cemetery. In prison, however, he looks all right and is able to stand easily.

Trader Mohd Arshad Ishak, who claimed that a copy of the VCD was placed in his mailbox in Seksyen 3, Bandar Baru Bangi, lodged a police report yesterday.

“I do not know who has been distributing the VCD but I wonder how it (the recording) was brought out of the Sungai Buloh prison or who was responsible for it,” he said in his report.

“I believe the person who brought out this recording has committed breach of trust as the prison is a high-security area.”

Mohd Arshad, 26, also represents an organisation that calls itself the anti-sodomy movement (or Geli by its Malay acronym).

He later told journalists that he believes the footage was from the prison's closed-circuit television camera recordings.

In addition, he urged the government to form a royal commission of inquiry to investigate how the footage was made available on the Internet and on VCD; to identify the prison officer(s) involved in the recording; and to determine the authenticity of the footage.

Mohd Arshad said he would gather support via social networking site Facebook to pressure the government to set up the royal panel.

'Save Muslims' plea

Anwar's camp, meanwhile, is circulating a video featuring a decree issued by renowned Islamic scholar Yusof Al Qardhawi of Egypt.

The head of the World Islamic Scholars Union, he was awarded Malaysia's Maal Hijrah award last year.

NONEEntitled 'Fatwa Mutakhir Dr Yusuf Al Qardhawi berhubung konspirasi II terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim' (Edict by Yusuf Al Qardhawi pertaining to Conspiracy II against Anwar), the video (left) was produced by the Women's Institute of Research Development and Advancement.

The 33-minute video was recorded at Yusuf's residence in Doha, and his speech was translated by PAS central committee member Ustaz Abdul Ghani Shamsuddin.

In it, Yusof said that anyone who circulates a wrongful allegation can be considered fasik (someone who violates Islamic law).

The VCD was launched on Saturday during a rally to mark the second anniversary of Pakatan Rakyat's victory in the 2008 general election.

At the launch, Anwar said Yusof had told him to disseminate the message in order to save Muslims.

“Yusuf said 'please save them... this is a responsibility, please tell others',” Anwar added.

courtesy of Malaysiakini

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