It has been over one month since Saiful Bukhary Azlan lodged a police report alleging that he was sodomised by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
“(Either) charge the accused according to the rule of law without any undue delay or exonerate him from any charges with immediate effect since justice delayed is justice denied.” said the Muslim Professionals Forum today.
The group’s statement came in the wake of the leaked medical report where a doctor in Hospital Pusrawi who had examined Saiful allegedly found no evidence of sodomy.
“As medical practitioners, we urge the relevant authorities to treat this medical report with objectivity in the course of their investigation,” according to a statement released by MPF signed by Dr Sheik Johari Bux, Dr Farouk Musa, Dr Jeffrey Abu Hassan and Dr Musa Nordin.
Saiful, 23, who was a former aide to Anwar, lodged a police report on June 28 four hours after he was examined at Hospital Pusrawi. Soon after he had another medical examination at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
“We are also aware that the accuser underwent a second medical examination at HKL. We feel it is imperative that both medical reports form the basis of forensic evidence and be given due weight should this case end up in a trial, unless of course the reputation and credibility of the doctors are in question.
“This is in light of the previous sodomy charges involving the same political figure 10 years ago where certain medical reports were not allowed to be tendered as evidence when it was in favour of the accused.”
Public interest takes precedent
MPF also stressed that all doctors who had carried out their duty professionally must not be subjected to any form of harassment or intimidation.
It also argued that the issue of public interest in the case takes precedent over doctor-patient confidentiality.
“In view of the fact that this is a very high-profile case which may potentially further erode the already blemished reputation of Malaysia's justice system internationally, the focus of the
investigation should be on the veracity of the contents of the said reports and not on the controversy of patient-doctor confidentiality.”
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