Anwar's Trial: No- Win Situation For Najib

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim faces trial this week on sodomy charges, for the second time in a turbulent political career that could put new premier Najib Abdul Razak in a quandary. The case, which Anwar says is a conspiracy to neutralise the threat he poses to the government, could also seriously damage Najib who came to office three months ago with promises of reform. "This is a no-win situation for Najib. If Anwar gets thrown into prison he looks bad, if he's acquitted he also looks bad. The question is how to limit the damage," said political analyst James Chin from Monash University in Kuala Lumpur. "I suspect he'll be found guilty and let off with a fine," he said. "If Anwar goes to jail, the opposition will be stronger because Anwar will be seen as a martyr." The charges, levelled by a young man who worked in Anwar's office, threaten to end the opposition leader's career which he resurrected after being sacked as deputy premier and jailed on separate sodomy and corruption charges a decade ago. "There's a small chance he'll be acquitted but a very, very small chance,", of the charges which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail. "I think the trial will be dragged out for a long time to damage his reputation and also to slow down the opposition." The United States and Amnesty International have raised concerns over the charges against Anwar, who in his first trial was brought to court with a black eye after a vicious beating from the police chief. The earlier charges emerged after he challenged veteran ruler Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The latest allegations followed the landmark polls that give him an excellent chance of victory in the next general election. Many Malaysians, weary of political dirty-tricks and corruption in the justice system, believe the affair is a ploy to sideline Anwar and distract attention from an unpopular government and a looming recession. A survey last year found just 11 percent of Malaysians believed the accusations that Anwar sodomised Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who was then a 23-year-old volunteer at his office. Anwar: A deeply flawed case Anwar, 61, spent six years in jail until 2004 when the nation's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction. After a few years of recuperation he emerged to build the most successful opposition force the country has seen. He is the undisputed glue in the Pakatan Rakyat, an alliance of three unlikely partners - his own multiracial PKR party, the conservative Islamic party PAS, and the liberal Chinese-based DAP. Contrary to fears the opposition could spin apart if Anwar is convicted and jailed, leading Southeast Asia academic Bridget Welsh said that at least initially it could galvanise its supporters and give it a sense of unity. "But the issue is long term, it's the question of who would then lead the opposition and that raises certain types of questions," she said, including the issue of which party should come out on top. Anwar says the case against him is deeply flawed, and remains defiant about his prospects and that of his party. "There is no question of the Pakatan Rakyat continuing, surviving. It will continue to defend the rights of the people and challenge the government, gaining strength from any conviction made against me," he told AFP last week. "In fact I think a conviction against me will enrage a lot of people," he said. "I am ready for all eventualities and prepared to face attacks - expect the best and prepare for the worst." Anwar's first trial was full of drama, lurid testimony, and headline-grabbing incidents including one when a mattress supposedly stained with semen (left) was hauled into the courtroom. The current hearing, which begins on Wednesday and is expected to last at least several weeks, is likely to get off to a slow start with legal argument over evidence and a defence motion to strike out the charges altogether.- MalaysiaKini