The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) today denied having given permission to a Malaysian NGO to distribute video copies of its documentary that claims that the trial of jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was based on fabricated charges.

An ABC official told malaysiakini that the TV station has not, and will not,give permission to the Free Anwar Campaign (FAC) for the distribution off an explosive documentary.

On Wednesday, malaysiakini quoted FAC director Raja Petra Kamarudin as saying that he has received permission from ABC to distribute the programme locally and overseas once the Australian network has aired the programme Down Under ([#1]Tapes of TV expose on Anwar to be distributed[/#], Oct 4)

The documentary which was aired in Australia last Tuesday showed candid interviews with relatives and associates of Anwar, including key players such as former Umno official Raja Kamaruddin Wahid.

ABC's Foreign Correspondent reporter Evan Williams and producer Virginia Moncrieff who were in Kuala Lumpur recently, claimed that they have for the first time compelling evidence that the trial was based on fabricated charges resulting from a deliberate high-level conspiracy to oust Anwar from office.

When contacted, Raja Petra expressed regret for having given malaysiakini the wrong impression.

"ABC has never given permission to FAC to distribute the documentary either in Malaysia or anywhere else in the world.

"What FAC has done, as part of its international campaign, was to circulate information on the existence of the documentary through FAC's international network," he said ([#2]For the record[/#], Oct 6).

He added that he understood ABC's position and that the corporation would not give permission for the documentary to be distributed locally.

"If ABC gave us permission to distribute the tape here, then it would be agreeing to an illegality. We doubt whether we would be able to distribute the tapes locally as we will also need the approval of Finas (National Film Development Corporation). Otherwise, we would be running foul of the law,"he said..