Is police confirming that Anwar’s four police reports about corruption and abuses of power naming Mahathir, Daim, Rafidah, Mohtar Abdullah, Rahim Tamby Cik are not false reports?

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang 

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The first question is whether the Police has established that when Anwar lodged the police report that he was suffering from arsenic poisoning on Sept. 10, Anwar knew that the Melbourne Gribbles pathology laboratory report that his urine taken on August 18 had dangerously high level of arsenic was false or that the urine sample did not belong to him.

The second question is whether the Police would act without fear or favour under Section 500 of the Penal Code, regardless whether the person concerned is in government or in opposition.

Section 500 provides that "Whoever defames another shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or both". Section 499 provides the following definition of this offence of "defamation": 

"Whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs, or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person, intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of such person".

Will the Police take action against the following under Section 500 for false statements and even lies:
 

• Against the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who continue to make the false statement that Anwar brought up the  matter of his arsenic poisoning 14 days after he had received the information that there was arsenic in his urine.  In actual fact, Azizah had explained in her  press conference on Sept. 10 that the sample was sent to Gribbles Pathology Malaysia Bhd on Aug 18 and its laboratory in Melbourne carried out tests on Aug 26 and sent back the  results of the tests to their local representative on Sept 8 at 7.02pm. Azizah received the computer-generated report the following day, on Sept 9, and  this information was brought to the attention of the court the very next day on Sept. 10.
• Against the Prime Minister for making the false statement that Anwar was the only member of his Cabinet who did not declare his assets when in office. Anwar has said that Mahathir had lied as he did declare his assets earlier on and had, in fact, written Mahathir a letter confirming that as he  had not increased his assets after becoming the Deputy Prime Minister, his earlier declaration was still valid.
• Against the MCA President and  Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik  for telling the lie that the Kelantan Mentri Besar,  Nik Aziz had said that he would deregister all Barisan Nasional parties if he becomes prime minister. I had challenged Liong Sik to substantiate his allegation against  Nik Aziz but there has been total silence from the MCA President.

The third question is even more interesting.  Apart from the police report on arsenic poisoning, Anwar has also lodged four other reports alleging corruption and abuses  of power at the highest levels of government leadership, naming in particular the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the first Finance Minister, Tun Daim Zainuddin, the Minister for International Trade and Industry,      Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz, the two highest law officers in the land, namely the Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar  Abdullah and Datuk Gani Patail, the former Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Cik, involving scandals  and malpractices like the RM7 billion Perwaja scandal - all supported  by documentary evidence concerning such allegations and abuses of power. 


In only pinpointing  that the police does not rule the possibility of taking action against Anwar for false report in the arsenic poisoning case, is the Police admitting and  confirming that Anwar’s four police reports about corruption and abuses of power naming Mahathir, Daim, Rafidah, Mohtar Abdullah, Rahim Tamby Cik are not false reports? If so, why has the Police been so tardy in its investigations into these four Anwar police reports about corruption and abuses of power in high political places? And if not, is the Police also going to charge Anwar for lodging four false reports on corruption and abuses of power naming the top leaders in the country?

(6/10/99)