Pressuring the court to rush Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial amounts to contempt of court as it interferes with the administration of justice, said Karpal Singh.

NONE The lead counsel in the ongoing Sodomy II trial was referring to attempts by pressure groups such as Gerakan Anti-Penyelewengan Selangor (GAPS) to speed up the trial.

“Anwar Ibrahim’s trial should be allowed to proceed without any interference from any quarter,” said Karpal ( right ) in a statement today.

“Neither Suhakam nor GAPs or for that matter anyone else should make any public statements with regard to the course the trial has taken or should take."

Karpal explained that pressuring the judge to speed up the trial "would amount to contempt of court because such action would interfere with in the administration of justice".

“Anwar as every right to exhaust the legal remedies open to him under the law to prove his innocence,” he said.

Star today reported GAPs urging the courts to expedite the trial, following complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s  father Azlan Mohd's decision to seek Suhakam's intervention on Wednesday.

“Suhakam is the best platform to advise the chief justice to expedite the case. There should not be any more delays,” Star quoted GAPS chairperson Hamidzun Khairuddin saying.

Due process, not delay

Karpal said Anwar was merely exercising his right in appealing on issues of law, that he said has set forth “important precedents”.

NONE “It is wrong to say that Anwar’s trial has been delayed,” he said, adding that calling on Suhakam to advise the chief justice was “a manifest misconception”.

The High Court judge, he said, should be free from interference when deciding upon applications raised by the defence in the course of a trial.

Quoting GAPS’ call, Karpal said where justice delayed is justice denied, “that does not mean a trial has to be rushed on account of pressure on the judge from any quarter to do so”.

Karpal also hit out at GAPS for saying Anwar’s trial was of “national importance” being the Opposition leader.

gaps protest at pkr hq 130311 walk 02 “All trials are of equal significance and should be given equal treatment across the board,” he said, citing the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the law for all citizens.              

Anwar will enter his defence when the trial resumes tomorrow.

The PKR de facto leader was charged with sodomising his former aide Saiful at the Desa Damansara condominium between 3pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.   

Anwar has maintained the existence of a political conspiracy behind the charge, and is attempting to call Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor, former police chief Musa Hassan and former Malacca police chief Mohd Rodhwan Yusof as witnesses.