Anwar arrested on sex charges - Aljazeera
Anwar Is Arrested in Malaysia After Sodomy Accusation - Bloomberg
Malaysia's Anwar arrested - Associated Press
Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim arrested - BBC
Lawyer says Malaysia’s Anwar has been arrested - International Herald Tribune
Police Arrest Malaysian Opposition Leader - Wall Street Journal
Malaysians also reacted with disbelief and incredulity the high-handedness used by the police to arrest Anwar using Special Action Force personnel clad in balaclava and leather jacket. He was escorted in a convoy of 15 patrol to the police headquarters to have his statement taken on the police report made against him. This was done despite his expressed intention to comply with the deadline issued by the police in an ultimatum.
The following are some of the comments from readers of Malaysiakini:
YOUR SAY: 'Why 15 police patrol cars?' Jul 17, 2008 - Malaysiakini On CID chief reveals why Anwar was arrested Diana Husin: Do the police have to arrest him escorted by a convoy of 15 patrol cars and special squad cops with balaclava? No wonder they can’t find Bala (and his whole family) because all the police are deployed to get Anwar. CK Chim: If only the Federal CID director Bakri Zinin can exercise the same level of anticipation in eradicating the state of corruption and crime in this country. His action in sending in 15 police cars and men in balaclava to arrest DSAI one hour before the stated deadline is absolutely amazing. Just like their road blocks over the weekend in ‘anticipation’ of the mass demonstration at the Parliament House on Monday when everyone else were not even aware of such an event. No wonder our country is going down the tube what with such kind of people manning the security of our country. Peter: I see no reason why the police must arrest Anwar before expiry of the deadline. How did the CID chief know that Anwar would not proceed to the police headquarters after going home? With all the surveillance by the police being focussed on Anwar alone, what were the possibilities that Anwar could escape to neighbouring country? Yes, Bakri Zinin, your reasoning went against logic and we would not buy your story. Coming to the way Anwar was arrested. Can you explain why you needed 15 police patrol cars and a four-wheel drive to escort him to the police station? Also tell us why did the arresting officers had to wear a balaclava? It is mind boggling! Is Anwar a terrorist high on a wanted list? If not, he did not deserve to be arrested in such a manner. As far as I know, soldiers would be dressed in balaclava when raiding terrorist hideouts. DelCapo: I want to express my utter disgust at the police's actions. This is a 60-year old man with a bad back. He had just spent hours at the ACA. He had excused himself, with apologies, from the ACA to make sure he would not be late for the 2pm appointment with the CID. Was he armed and dangerous like a terrorist? Was he speeding towards the expressway to Thailand or Singapore or the airport or a seaport for an escape?? Why the 10 police cars? Why the balaclava-clad special force? Where was the arrest warrant? I would like to know which part of police professionalism instruct an overkill and use of force under the circumstances above? Where? It shows there was an instruction by the IGP and BN government to use excessive force. It displayed no respect for the ‘innocent till proven guilty principle’, it is against democracy, against human rights, against rules of law. You showed that it was political and personal. It is a total disgrace. You have put all Malaysians to utter shame. Vijayya Segootan: When Anwar agreed to be present at 2 pm, there is no reason for the police to arrest Anwar before the deadline. Where did the CID Chief receive his orders from? You are paid by the rakyat and should be faithful to the rakyat. The CID chief, the Barisan government should resign for this shameful act. This is an abuse of power. William D: What a flimsy excuse to say that they were afraid that Anwar would not turn up at the appointed time of 2 pm, so they have to arrest him earlier at 12.55 pm. If Anwar can go to the ACA office in Putrajaya, I see no reason why he would not appear at the police headquarters. If they were afraid that he would not turn up, then why not arrest him at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka where the debate was held on Tuesday night? All they have to do is wait for him to come out from the building, put their hands on his shoulders and say, ‘You are under arrest’. Just to arrest one man, do you honestly need 15 patrol cars and men clad in black jackets and balaclava? And yet our prime minister said Anwar is irrelevant. http://www1.malaysiakini.com/news/86263 |
'Speak up now or you will be next' Jul 17, 2008 - Malaysiakini On Anwar arrested outside his house William D: I am totally disgusted with our police force. What's wrong with these people? For some days now, Anwar Ibrahim has been told he has been given until 2 pm yesterday to report at the police headquarters. Then why are they at the Anwar's house at 12.55pm to arrest him? Shouldn't this be done if Anwar fails to turn up after 2 pm? If he could report to the ACA in the morning, shouldn't they give him a bit of leeway for him to have the time to make it to the police headquarters? I have already lost respect for our police force. This callous action only entrenches my feelings further. They are supposed to remain neutral and operate by the law. The way the arrested Anwar gives me the impression on how eager they are to please their political masters. Maniam Sankar: The police had to block up the whole of KL roads based on unsubstantiated hearsay and rumors of an impending demonstration. And now they need 15 police cars and thuggish cops to arrest Anwar, after giving him until 2 pm to turn up at the police station. Does anyone else feel we are sliding dangerously into an authoritarian, police state? Speak up now or you will be next. Primus: This is atrocious. I think the people's patience has reached its boiling point. The situation now is different compared to ten years ago when Dr M deviously orchestrated the whole drama so to speak. DSAI's strength is bigger compared to then and he draws a humongous level of support from a bulk majority of the citizens. Again and again the government is making all the wrong moves which I think will definitely backfire. I think the repercussions of this move will be disastrous and huge. All this trumped up accusations against Anwar is an insult to the intelligence of all Malaysians. Why does this accusation arise now? Why? Because the government has realised that he is the biggest threat to the survival of the ‘stable’ BN government? I strongly believe in the principles of karma. There will be a time when it all comes back to the BN government. Angry Big Time: In honour of our police force's highhanded tactics including the barricade of Parliament yesterday and the pre-emptive arrest of Anwar Ibrahim, I propose we change their official name from Polis DiRaja Malaysia to Police DiRaja Umno. No better still, call them Polis Umno as that would more accurately describe who they are working for. They certainly don't work for the rakyat who pay the taxes that go to their salary. Ganasan Kailasanathan: Why did the police arrested Anwar before the 2 pm deadline. The police and the home minister need to explain to the rakyat. If Anwar is a suspect, so too is Najib. Why are you not arresting Najib and Rosmah? Why did the police manhandle Anwar? Please BN and Pak Lah, it is enough. If you do not know how to govern the country please resign. Stop arresting the opposition figures and arrest the country’s real criminals and traitors. As for the police, you are not arresting the criminals but arresting opposition leaders. Reduce crime first. Do your work Dorai Dubai: Anwar arrested? Why? There could be only one reason for the arrest and that is Anwar’s numerous claims of seizing power from the ruling government. It is obvious that we have to lose our freedom. They (BN) can increase the fuel price as they like, and arrest anyone so that they will not be heard anymore. The two options are either for our King to intervene or for the public to protest. Arianna: I am fed up, tired, pained and frustrated with the current situation in Malaysia. Here we are facing a serious economic crisis, onset of worrying inflation, high cost of living arising from higher oil prices and the Abdullah's regime does little to cushion the blow or introduce preventive measures. Instead, the government is obsessed with Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim. Even when our stock exchange rattles under the weight of political war games, Abdullah and his regime appear unconcerned. And do little to soothe fears among foreign investors who are more concerned about the country's economy than the government of the day. And it's all because the BN regime is worried sick about losing government to Anwar who is not even a member of Parliament. Compounding this problem is the police who apparently consider sodomy the worst crime among crimes. That a suspect of such a crime warrants a special squad and 15 police vehicles to arrest! Never mind that out there, smugglers are smuggling our precious oil and gas, cooking oil and other essentials aggravating our already alarming economic situation. Never mind that our crime rate continues to surge because priority must be given to arresting sodomy suspects! We have had enough of the 1998 shameful political games and want no more of such despicable acts. If anything, it would only hurt the country's economy and the people at large. The rakyat has given the BN the mandate on March 8. But until now, they have not proven that they are worthy of it. Meng: The speed at which the Royal Malaysian Police have investigated the Anwar case and arrive at an arrest is impressive and yet shameful. Impressive because in light of all the many rape cases and murders in this country which go unsolved it is amazing how they have acted with lightning speed. It is shameful because behind all this there is so many questions left in the rakyat’s mind. Shameful because out of so many unsolved rape and murder cases, the police have been so inefficient and rude. They have failed the rakyat but yet served their political masters. This entire case bleeds of political vengeance. We want Saiful Bukhari to come out and speak in person about his alleged involvement with Anwar. Katrina Lam: There are so many other issues that the country needs to pay attention to - not digging into the people’s personal sex life. I am sitting here in a hotel looking at the advertisement ‘Malaysia, truly Asia’ and the next scene is of Anwar’s arrest on CNN. Come on, just move on and leave that man alone with his family. I feel so much pain for Wan Azizah and her children yet they stand firm and strong. Justice? I don't even want to get there. Religion? Oh, there’s total hypocrisy there. My regards to Anwar and his family and all I can say is pray and be strong. There is only a limit God will take and may the Almighty be with you. Kenny Gan: The highhanded arrest of Anwar is totally unwarranted. His case is at worse, a matter of consensual sexual misconduct based on an archaic law akin to consensual oral sex. Unless we believe that a 61-year-old man with a bad back can forcibly sodomise a 23-year-old youth, any allegation of forced sodomy does not make sense. Why are the police pursuing the case as if a rape had occurred? If indeed, any sodomy has taken place, why isn’t Saiful investigated for consensual sodomy as he is equally a suspect? Why devote so much manpower and resources to investigate something so insignificant? Why arrest a national leader on such superficial grounds when he was willing to cooperate with the police? These are questions which demand answers but if we accept that there is a conspiracy against Anwar, then everything falls into place. It looks like the powers-that-be are willing to once again pervert the criminal justice system to convict Anwar on false charges in a repeat of 1998. They can suppress the truth and bulldoze a conviction against the tide of public opinion but there will be hell to pay. For it to be repeated a second time is even worse than the first time. Whatever remaining respect the police, the AG and the judiciary have from the public will be shattered. Malaysia will become an international pariah from which investments and tourists will bypass. Rodney1663: The script of Ops Lallang is rewritten. Looks like there could be many more arrests to come. When you are beginning to feel too much force coming, you will lock them up to shut their mouths. End of story. Watch out RPK, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Tian Chua, Karpal Singh, Azman Ali, Khalid, Nizar etc (though we know you are fearless). Anwar, a suffering or beaten force would do unbelievable destruction along its path so please do not frighten them further by revealing too much too soon. Suresh Dass: From what has been reported about the arrest of Anwar Ibrahim and from the YouTube video of the arresting team's arrival at the Jalan Hang Tuah station, we can thus conclude that the PDRM have over-allocated personnel to carry out this simple procedure. Anwar Ibrahim had already made an appointment with the CID chief, Bakri Zinin. Why was there the overzealousness on the part of the PDRM in arresting him an hour before his appointment? It's KL after all, jams do occur. Perhaps a bit of patience would have been more cost effective. Judging by the entourage of unmarked police vehicles which arrived at the police station, the PDRM spent a whole lot on fuel today. What I would like to know is the bill that taxpayers have to foot at the end of the day in carrying out such an extensive and comprehensive police operation? (Which included fully masked police commandos and lots of fancy SUV's) What is the opportunity cost of undertaking such a large operation? How many hardcore criminals could have been arrested? How many robberies, snatch thefts, car thefts etc. could have been foiled? How many rapists, molesters etc could have been arrested? http://www1.malaysiakini.com/news/86261 |
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