MALAYSIAN ANWAR IS PREPARED FOR THE WORST?

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says “he’s prepared for the worst” as he stares at the prospect of imprisonment once again on a controversial sodomy charge, but has vowed never to give up his struggle.
The opposition leader, whose forces won a majority of the popular vote in polls last year, faces a late-October final ruling on his appeal against a much-criticised sodomy conviction and five-year jail sentence he denounces as a long-running government smear campaign.

Opinion in Malaysia seems split on whether a regime known for its rough political tactics will risk a domestic and international backlash by throwing Anwar — infamously jailed on previous disputed sodomy charges 15 years ago — into prison again.

But the charismatic campaigner said “it doesn’t look good,” citing an accelerating government crackdown on civil liberties aimed at throttling the opposition threat.

“There is certainly concern that they would then use the courts to secure a (sodomy) conviction, which is really unfortunate in terms of rule of law in this country,” he said in an interview at his modest Kuala Lumpur office.

Malaysia’s highest court hears the appeal October 28-29.

Anwar says he is “prepared for the worst” but flashes his trademark sense of humour in speculating on the quality of the prison tea, medical care and books.

“I am thinking now of what classics to start with,” he said with a laugh.

“But I am still hopeful sanity will prevail and the highest court in the land will subscribe fully to the facts and the law.”

Source: Malaysia Today...More...