Arfaeza A Aziz

In an unusual move, the ex-Perwaja Steel managing director's CBT trial was today adjourned to allow the prosecution to record statements from key witnesses in Hong Kong, Switzerland and possibly Japan.

Three weeks after deferring its judgment on Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy appeal, the Federal Court finally sets Aug 28 as D-day.

Eric Chia's criminal breach of trust case took a twist today when a prosecution witness refused to answer questions about two letters which allegedly show that he lied to the court last Friday.

Chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim tells Anwar's lawyers that he has no right to instruct his judges on how the handle the jailed politician's sodomy appeal.

A former senior manager tells the court that Perwaja paid out RM76.4 million to Japanese firm NKK Corporation in one go but later discovered that the firm had never asked for a lump-sum payment.

The company's ex-corporate accounts director tells the CBT trial of Eric Chia that although he found a RM76.4 million payment approved by the tycoon dubious, he felt it was better to remain silent.

Parti Keadilan Nasional throws a spanner in the works in the BA coalition by seeking to field a candidate for the Kuala Berang by-election. The reason? To send PAS the message that it should not be treated like a floor mat.

Shouts of reformasi reverberated around the Hospital Kuala Lumpur compound as supporters of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim celebrated his birthday.

Under a new leadership, Kelantan PKR is confident of putting this episode behind it. Its Youth chief also vows there will be no bad blood between the two parties.

But the jailed ex-deputy premier, currently warded at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur for a slipped disc, wants his review against a corruption conviction to proceed in his absence.

Perwaja's treasury unit did not go through normal procedures before approving the payment as the then managing director's authorisation was deemed to be sufficient, the Sessions Court was told.

The Chief Justice of the Federal Court unveils the judiciary's inaugural 'report card' which aims to both 'demystify' its workings to the public and to keep judges on their toes.

A letter purportedly giving Perwaja's approval to pay a Japanese firm RM76.4 million was the centre of contention in former Perwaja Steel managing director Eric Chia's criminal breach of trust hearing today.

Attention was focused on the cause and effect of a decision to make a multi-million ringgit payment in full to a Japanese company in former Perwaja Steel MD Eric Chia's trial.

The Federal Court rejects jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's application for bail pending his sodomy conviction appeal decision. It is Anwar's third bail application rejection but the jailed politician says he will continue with the struggle for democracy and rule of law.

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail urges the court's three-man bench not to interfere with the lower courts' decision. He says there was no evidence of alleged conspiracy through trumped-up charges.

Anwar Ibrahim's defence team continues to attack attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy to topple the politician.

Jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's final appeal against a conviction for sodomy as well as his bail application began at the Federal Court today with the three-man bench rejecting his application to disqualify two of them.

A group of ulama blame the professionals within the opposition Islamic party for their humiliating defeat in the recent general election. First on the firing line is party secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa.

The jailed politician's counsel Sankara Nair says government officials have made trips to the Unesco regarding this and wonders if the international body is getting the right information.

At least, PAS is not in denial. At a brainstorming session today, the party sought frank feedback on why it had been so emphatically rejected by voters in the 11 ^th general election.

Keadilan's Taman Medan candidate for the recent general election Wan Razali Wan Kadir wants compensation from PAS' Ghazali Shaari for the latter's failure to withdraw from contesting the same constituency.

Jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim is no longer being sent for physiotherapy, according to his lawyer who wants an explanation.

For all that several state representatives in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth wing feel it is time to cut ties with ally PAS after the opposition's abject showing in the general election, they are unlikely to get their way.