Persecution of Anwar Ibrahim

Persecution of Anwar Ibrahim
| Tue, 07/29/2008
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/07/29/letter-persecution-anwar-ibrahim.html

The saga of the persecution of Anwar Ibrahim by the powers that be in his country is really sad! Anwar Ibrahim does not deserve such treatment from his own people.
Anwar Ibrahim is a 100 percent self-made charismatic leader and enjoys the adulation of the masses. And maybe that has been his problem! It appears the political top brass in Malaysia is simply incapable of containing him and keeping him away from the PM's office.
I worked briefly in Malaysia at the time his meteoric political rise started. Without anyone's help, he swept aside the then heir apparent Ghafar Baba in such a swift manner there was no alternative but to make him Deputy PM. And when he rose in stature and gained enough clout of his own to sweep aside the incumbent, Anwar Ibrahim's troubles started!
Because he could not be faulted on any genuine issue, he was charged with, of all allegations, sodomy! He was jailed, beaten and tortured, but Anwar Ibrahim neither bent nor broke down. He remained unwavering, tenacious and resolute!
Finally, in 2004, Malaysia's Federal Court cleared him of the sodomy charge and he was released.
After his release, this charismatic leader still posed a threat to the incumbent! And what did that lead to? Fresh charges of sodomy, based on one man's accusation!
While I truly admire Anwar Ibrahim's courage, what I admire far more is the courage and support of his wife Wan Azizah Ismail. A gold medalist in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, she has gone through so much suffering in these last few years. She is the real icon of courage and sacrifice for her countrymen!
I hope Anwar ascends to the throne that is rightfully his, but refrains from being vengeful towards the perpetrators of injustice towards him, though he may be fully justified in doing so!
K. B. KALE, Jakarta
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Post Comments | Comments (1)

Osman, | Wed, 30/07/2008 - 07:07am
K. B. KALE : Finally, in 2004, Malaysia's Federal Court cleared him of the sodomy charge and he was released. Cleared??? K. B. KALE, please do not mislead other readers with such false statement. Get your facts right, Anwar was never "cleared" of the earlier sodomy charges, as the case was dropped before verdict.
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