Former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's second sodomy trial special prosecutor Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has defended his statements calling the former a 'coward'.

He said the term was meant to describe Anwar's behaviour in court to a lay audience, in particular Anwar's move to make a statement from the dock rather than to testify under oath.

“ It's not personal. It's legalistic,” he told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today when cross-examined by defence counsel Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Shafee admitted that following the Federal Court verdict against Anwar in the sodomy trial trial last year, he had given press interviews in which he described Anwar as a 'coward'.

Shafee was appointed deputy public prosecutor specifically for the trial.

He said statements from the dock are usually used by those or are mad or of infirm mind and therefore unable to defend themselves when cross-examined.

However, he pointed out that Anwar was not of infirm mind and instead was a skilled orator capable of talking himself out of any situation.

Ambiga pointed out that it was within Anwar's right to make a statement from the dock and there was nothing in law to limit its use to those who were mentally infirm.

Shafee countered that he did caveat his statements to the media that it was indeed within Anwar's rights.

Ambiga also pointed out that the court had never described Anwar's conduct as cowardly and had instead merely ruled Anwar's allegation of a political conspiracy against him was an unsubstantiated allegation.

“ Who cares what the court described?” Shafee retorted to which Ambiga replied, “That is the problem. ‘Who cares what the court described?”

Shafee maintained that his statements following Anwar's second sodomy trial were never inconsistent with the Federal Court decision only 'travelling slightly' from it.

He testified that his intention was not to condemn Anwar who is unable to defend himself because of his five-year prison sentence, but to explain and defend the court's judgement.

He said his statement that Anwar's behaviour was 'cowardly' was consistent with the court's judgement unless the court had said that Anwar's conduct was 'not cowardly'.

Violated rules claim

Shafee was testifying during a suit he had filed on March 12, last year, a day before the Malaysian Bar AGM, to stop senior lawyer Tommy Thomas and former Court of Appeal judge VC George from tabling a motion against him following the series of road shows the Umno-linked lawyer participated in against Anwar.

Thomas and George filed the motion against Shafee wanting him to be brought to the Bar's disciplinary board over the road-shows and interviews he gave to the media after securing Anwar's conviction at the Federal Court.

They cited Shafee's actions of holding press conferences in criticising Anwar had violated Rules 5(a), 31, 32, 33 and 49 of the Legal Profession (Practice and Etiquette) Rules 1978, and that Anwar who is serving time in prison cannot reply to the claims.

Shafee obtained an injunction to stop the motion from being tabled and today is the first day hearing of his suit against Thomas, George and former Bar president Christopher Leong.

Cross-examination of Shafee is slated to continue tomorrow afternoon.