PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim today filed an affidavit at the Federal Territory (FT) Syariah High Court to seek an order to compel FT syariah public prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain to charge his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan for qazaf (false accusation).

The matter will be heard before Syariah High Court judge Mohd Shukor Sabudin on Jan 13.

The suit also named FT religious department head Che Mat Che Ali and minister in charge of religious affairs Jamil Khir Baharom as respondents.

NONE Anwar also asked that the court to order Che Mat and Jamil not to "stop or influence" Shamsuddin in carrying out his duties in prosecuting Saiful.

He filed his qazaf application on July 9, 2008 with the Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department against Saiful for making "false allegations" against him.

Anwar, 62, is facing a criminal trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for allegedly sodomising Saiful, 24, at a condominium in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008.

‘Syariah court must be fair'

Talking to reporters after filing his affidavit, Anwar expressed frustration that the Syariah Court has done little after more than a year even though it was now beyond the investigation stage of the prosecution.

"As a Muslim, I deserve protection and would like to see development in the case."

According to Anwar, Jamil Khir told Parliament in October 2009 that it was not within the competence of the Syariah Court to handle the matter as it has to wait for the civil courts to decide.

"This is to me a mockery of the justice system and an insult to the Syariah Court," he said.

He stressed that the syariah courts must be above political and individual sentiments.

"Why talk about the importance of Islam and syariah when you do not respect basic fundamental principles of the law?

NONE "The government (only cites) syariah (law) when it seems convenient to them politically," he told reporters.

Representing Anwar were lawyers Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman ( left ), Zulkifli Noordin, Dorina Abdullah and Gamal Lokman.

Kamar told reporters that "by Quranic injunction, the one who accuses must justify the offence by producing four witnesses".

She said that the respondents would be served summonses in one to two days.