Anwar Ibrahim set Saiful to clean the Augean stables

Stables of King Augeas of Elis where 3000 oxens were kept;
it was not cleaned for 30 years

In the sorry case of Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a former personal aide to Anwar Ibrahim making an allegation of sodomy against his former boss, I think I can identify 3 incidents when Anwar Ibrahim panicked.

The first incident was when he scurried off furtively to hide in the Turkish Embassy, claiming he had received an intelligence report from a foreign intelligence agency that he was targeted for assassination.

‘… foreign intelligence agency providing information directly to him he was a target for assassination …’?
I guess even in his moments of panic he wasn’t one to let slip an opportunity for grandiose delusion of grandeur … as if he’s a Robert Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King ;-)

Well, he sulked there shivering and trembling until the PM assures safety of both complainant & accused, as reported by Malaysiakini.

The episode actually worked out to his benefit, even enhancing his political status until some were taken into believing Anwar himself had organized the whole sodomy affair. And afterall, wasn’t Saiful a favoured aide, travelling abroad with his globe-trotting jet-setting de facto leader? See Malaysiakini article where Anwar said: Posh condo: I didn't say I never went.

Then, in the second incident of panic, laced with (at that time) a total lack of concern for Saiful, who could have been under duress to ‘lie’ about the sodomy accusation, Anwar filed a libel suit against Saiful.

I posted in Political assassination in Malaysia - the likely target the following (extract):

The Malaysiakini report of Anwar Ibrahim filing a bizarre suit against Saiful as seen in Anwar files libel suit against aide has been a regrettable hasty (and self preservation) action by Anwar, even before the facts of the circumstances have even been established, on whether Saiful has been a villain or a victim as I discussed in my earlier post Saiful Bukhari Azlan - Victim or Villain?

Then came the Quran oath taking challenge. While Saiful was keen to participate, Anwar was very circumspect, initially saying he would only if it was done in front of a respected ulamak.

When I read that unnecessary condition by Anwar (are there non-respected ulamaks?), I knew he wouldn’t, and was tap dancing away from a ‘Religious Declaration’ (as opposed to a Statutory Declaration).

Personally I don’t believe much in this swearing before God stuff, though of course some cultures are inclined towards it. My uncle told me that in British days, even the orang putih courts would accept as affirmation any Chinese willing to ‘potong ayam’ (charm peh kay) in some civil (but not criminal) cases.

Whether acting under duress or not, Saiful has now upped the ante, by posting the following message to Anwar Ibrahim on her fiancee’s blog:

“Dear Anwar the hypocrite! I challenge you to swear on the Quran. Set the place and time! I will come. The truth will prevail. Falsehood will surely be exposed. I am not afraid to die. God is mighty!”

A clear and unambiguous challenge! I was told this appeared on TV as well.

But I wasn't surprised when Anwar, contrary to his earlier (though hedged) acceptance, refused to take up the challenge to swear on the Quran that he didn't sodomised Saiful. But I reckon the pressure on Anwar to put his money where his mouth was, has panicked him for the 3rd time.

... though I must admit I was taken aback when Malaysiakini reported Sodomy: Anwar turns to Syariah Court.

Anwar claimed: “On the advice of ulama and my lawyers, I have filed a complaint with the enforcement department of the Syariah Court to have them clear me and my family’s name of the malicious allegation.”

Malaysiakini said Anwar’s lodged complaint is referred to as qazaf in Islamic law, where it makes a request to the syariah to probe into ‘false allegations’ pertaining to adultery or sexual misconduct.

Under syariah laws, Saiful will be required to produce four credible witnesses (must be all male) to back up his claims. If he fails to do so, he will declared a fasid or unreliable person. The penalty is three years imprisonment, or a fine up to RM5,000, for bearing false witness.

Now, I wonder how Saiful will be able to product 4 male witnesses, assuming there was a case of sodomy?

As a man of the world, touted as Asia's Renaissance Man etc etc, Anwar has set a redundant and impossible legal-religious task for Saiful when a civil court libel suit against Saiful already exists.

One can be forgiven for perceiving that he now attempts to hide behind the syariah court as he had in the Turkish Embassy. Panic as panic can be, I suppose?

However, more importantly, does this mean that Anwar Ibrahim is taking the Pakatan Rakyat including and especially the DAP down the path of a Malaysia soon to be legally administered by the syariah laws under Anwar's aspired premiership?