Anwar getting ready to leave embassy

Anwar Ibrahim is packing and getting ready to leave the Turkish Embassy. He spent the day taking phone calls from reporters and supporters, reading and chatting with the ambassador, who was summoned to Putrajaya. He also told newsmen who called him that he was getting ready for a by-election. He could possibly be announcing it this week. Anwar is non-committal to any DNA tests, saying he needed to speak to his lawyers if the process was part of a normal police investigation. He repeated that he did not trust the police. Malaysiakini has also reported that a forensic team visited the condominium at Bukit Damansara where the alleged sodomy took place. Meanwhile, Anwar has filed a civil suit against Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the aide who filed the complaint against him. The drama, it appears, is just unfolding. An unsettled sodomy case and an impending by-election, that's a blockbuster.

Turkey envoy summoned

Updates: DSAI files suit against Saiful for allegedly lodging false report


Turkish Ambassador Barlas Ozener has been summoned to Wisma Putra in Putrajaya. The order was given by Foreign Minister Rais Yatim following the envoy's invitation to DSAI to stay at the embassy compound. Rais is saying Anwar did not qualify for any sort of international or diplomatic protection. In short, Turkey is now accused of meddling in domestic politics. A major diplomatic row is in the offing if the problem is not resolved as Anwar's supporters have said he would be holed up at the embassy indefinitely. His supporters have turned up outside the embassy gates to show support. For the police, they now have to question Anwar following the sodomy allegations by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. He claimed Anwar sodomised him at an apartment in Damansara Heights. That would mean the police need to get Anwar's side of the story and possibly carry out a DNA test. Family members, friends and associates of both sides would be interviewed as part of the investigating process. The pressure would be on the cops now - they need to do the job but they can't just walk into the embassy, which has diplomatic immunity. There's also the security and political considerations because the perception is that it's a political set-up.

Anwar seeks refuge at Turkey embassy

A crowd outside the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur where DSAI had sought refuge. - Starpic

It's super dramatic. The sodomy allegation issue has taken a new twist with DSAI seeking refuge at the Turkey Embassy since 6 this morning. No one knows how long he will be there following a claim by Dr Syed Husin Ali that there is a death threat against him. Umno leaders have challenged Anwar to defend himself if the allegation is false.

Against the emotional backdrop with PKR saying this is a set up, the police have also doubled their presence to protect the complainant, a former Universiti Tenaga student leader who worked as an aide for Anwar. PKR leaders produced pictures of him posing with an aide of the DPM and ministers. Minister Shahrir Samad, who was among them, said it was common for people to request pictures to be taken.

Despite concern of a possible stand-off between Anwar and the government, it is likely the case would be tackled differently this time. Any immediate arrest of Anwar would spark off unnecessary tension but at the same time, if he continues to hole up at the embassy, a diplomatic row may erupt. The situation is delicate and a strong arm approach would not resolve the case, as it happened previously. Stay tuned.

Sodomy: A Midnight Shocker

The newsroom worked late into the early hours of the morning following an allegation by an aide of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he was sodomised. It seemed that he walked to the police counter of the hospital to make his complaint. He has also been reportedly warded, according to police. Anwar's supporters has another version - the man was arrested and forced to make a statement, which the police have dismissed. They have argued that it was a political ploy and that the complainant was probably planted. SMS were sent out to counter the police report. Rocky Bru has put the complainant's police report on his blog. I agreed with him that there will be those who believed everything the complainant has claimed and there would be as many, if not more people, who think it's a plot to discredit Anwar. The latest political twist would increase the political temperature. Malaysia doesn't need this. The elections are over and we should move on, really. The politics in Malaysia is bad for business. Investors are staying away. It's best that this matter be left to the police. Let's watch from the sidelines.

Breaking news: Ka Ting and Kong Choy to give up

Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting won't be defending his MCA president's post in the coming party elections. Ka Ting made the annoucement just an hour ago. His deputy, Chan Kong Choy, is also expected to make a similar announcement soon. Details later.

Talk of being over-zealous!

What's wrong with our censors? National Geographic's May issue was a special on China: Inside the Dragon. The whole issue was devoted to this Asian superpower, with many interesting articles and pictures (for which the magazine is famous for). For sure there's no sex but our censors at the Home Ministry seem to have other ideas. The famous "guidelines" of course.
This May issue was held back until late in June and the photo above tells you why. A seemingly innocent picture of a young boy getting back on his bicycle after a summer day's swim (P122), without putting back his pants, apparently seemed offensive to the censors. So out comes the black marker pen. How many man hours have been wasted censoring this image? This is not the first time (tribal people living deep in the forests are also a favourite for censorship), nor will it be the last.

Obama's Malaysian Connection

Picture from thespec.com shows Konrad with Maya.

Here's a little snippet about Barack Obama and his Malaysian link. His brother in law, Konrad Ng, 34, is a Canadian born Chinese. His wife is Maya Soetoro - the step sister of Obama, whose father is an Indonesian. Maya, a Buddhist, is now a teacher in Hawaii, with Ng, who is an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii. Here's the Malaysian link - Konrad's father, Howard, migrated to Burlington, Ontario, from Malaysia. He is now a retired scientist who lives with his wife, Joan, in the little Canadian town. When Konrad and Maya got married, the usual wedding dinner was thrown at a Chinese restaurant where Obama, then a Senator, attended with his wife. Both Konrad and Maya campaigned for Obama during the campaign trail for the Asian votes. The couple has been telling voters that Obama, with his family links, has been the most multi-racial American presidential candidate.