Saiful swears on Quran that he was sodomised

Saiful swears on Quran that he was sodomised

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 – Saiful Bukhari Azlan today swore on the Quran at the Federal Territory Mosque that he was sodomised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a starling move that could damage the Opposition icon's image among Muslims here.

His timing, though, raised eyebrows, coming a day before Anwar files his nomination papers to contest the Permatang Pauh by-election. His decision to swear on the holy book also comes at a time when Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas) appears split over Anwar and his commitment to the Islamic agenda.

Making his first appearance before the press since lodging a report on June 28 that he was sodomised in a condominium by the former deputy prime minister, he faced a barrage of questions, from the serious to the flippant.

Was he a willing partner? Was he is love with Anwar? He deflected most of the questions in a calm manner, saying that all would be revealed in court.
At the start of the press conference, a five-minute video clip of the swearing ceremony was played.

It showed Saiful invoking's God's name and accepting his readiness to receive God's just punishment if what he said was a lie. There is a likelihood of thousands of this vcd being reproduced and distributed over the next few weeks.

Saiful was flanked by his father and lawyer, Mohd Zamri Idrus at the press conference.

He said that he had fulfilled his duty by swearing the oath following Islamic principles and challenged Anwar to do the same.

He told reporters that he was heterosexual.

"Yes! I'm straight," said a clean-shaven Saiful, wearing a light brown baju Melayu and black songkok.

He also maintained that he did not consent to the alleged sodomy by Anwar.

This is inconsistent with the offence for which Anwar is charged. Section 377B of the Penal Code covers sex against the order of nature by consent.

Anal sex is a crime in Malaysia, whether consensual or otherwise.

Looking like a deer caught in the headlights as he was assaulted by camera flashes in his direction, he said that that he was never in hiding but had decided to lie low to gather strength.

Questioned on his motive to come out on the eve of Nomination Day of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election, Saiful said that it was coincidental.

"I needed mental and physical strength to make the oath," he said, adding that the consequences of taking the oath were very dire.
He was unwilling to divulge why he sought treatment at a private hospital, and why he had met with the deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak before lodging a police report against Anwar.

He wanted the focus to be solely on the fact that he has put himself at the mercy of God.

Anwar will have little choice but to respond. He is viewed less as the saviour of the country by the Malay-Muslim population who are anxious about his talk of dismantling the New Economic Policy as well as retince on religous issues.

Allowing Saiful's gambit to go unchallenged will sow more seeds of doubt about Anwar to be planted in this important constituency.

kzso - now we wait for anwar to mubahalah... that is if he has the gut to do so and if he is innocent!