Malaysian Opposition Leader to Subpoena Premier in Malaysia Sodomy Trial

Anwar lead counsel Karpal Singh today petitioned the court at an opening hearing today in Kuala Lumpur for a delay in order to get access to evidence. The court adjourned until 2:30 p.m. local time.

“The first thing Karpal will do is to subpoena Najib and Rosmah,” Anwar told reporters outside the courtroom. “Because they were personally involved in this conspiracy and frame-up.”

A conviction might lead to Anwar’s political downfall. The 62-year-old leader of the People’s Justice Party was jailed in 1998 on a similar charge, and barred from parliament for a decade. Najib runs the risk of being seen as using the trial for political gain, said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, an independent research institute near Kuala Lumpur.

“If Anwar loses he will be seen as a victim of political persecution; if Anwar wins, he is vindicated,” Ibrahim said. “Either way, it could just end up very badly for the government.”

Anwar’s lawyers want the chief justice to overrule the Federal Court’s decision on Jan. 29 to reject a judicial review. “Some 13 to 14 documents are necessary for the defense,” Karpal said.