Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has accused Umno of trying to interfere in his sodomy conviction appeal before the Federal Court after his lawyer was bombarded with police reports by the party.

"These attacks upon my lawyer N Surendran are a clear and blatant interference by Umno in the pending appeal, as it is a direct attempt to prevent grounds of conspiracy from being raised by my lawyers," Anwar said in a lengthy statement this afternoon.

The PKR de facto leader also said Umno divisions nationwide have lodged hundreds of police reports against Surendran ( left ), who is acting for him in the Sodomy II case.

"Among others, top Umno leader Mukhriz Mahathir has publicly called upon all Umno divisions to lodge police reports, whereas an editorial in Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia has called for immediate action against my lawyer," he said.

Anwar was in 1999 also convicted of sodomy but he was acquitted in 2004. A fresh allegation of sodomy was levelled against him in 2008, which he has described as "Fitnah 2".

Anwar claimed the intimidation against his lawyer was initiated after Surendran highlighted Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's role in the latest sodomy case.

"I believe the top Umno leadership is involved in orchestrating this campaign of intimidation.

"The intention is to prevent me from getting a fair hearing during the appeal on Oct 28 and 29, and to cover-up the roles of Najib and Umno in the conspiracy," he said.

Anwar said Najib's role in the "conspiracy" was part of his main defence during the High Court hearing, which will also be used in the Federal Court appeal.

'A blatant conspiracy'

Anwar was given a five-year jail term on March 7 this year by the Court of Appeal, which overturned his Jan 9, 2012, acquittal by the High Court on a charge of sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a Desa Damansara condominium on June 26, 2008.

Anwar said evidence of Najib's involvement was "clear and shocking", and he went on to point out that Najib, who then was deputy prime minister, met with Saiful ( left ) on June 24, two days before the alleged sodomy incident.

"When asked about it, Najib initially lied that only his officer met Saiful, supposedly about a scholarship. Later, Najib changed his story and admitted meeting Saiful at his residence.

"The meeting was set up by Najib's own special officer Khairil Anas. Najib's personal lawyer, who is now prosecuting me, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, has also admitted that he was present," he said.

Anwar said Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof, who was involved in the first sodomy case, had also met Saiful on the same night and Saiful was also in contact with then inspector-general of police Musa Hassan, who was the investigating officer in Sodomy I.

"This is blatant conspiracy staring us in the face," he said.

Anwar urged Umno and Najib not to interfere in his trial to ensure that the courts can act fairly.

"I call upon Najib and Umno to stop this interference with the legal process. There must be no pressure, direct or otherwise, upon the lawyers and the courts.

"If the legal process is allowed to function independently and impartially, I am confident of being acquitted. With this latest move, Umno and Najib show no sign of allowing this to happen," he added.

I n PENANG, Umno’s Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhamad Farid Saad lodged a report against Surendran at the Jalan Pattani Northeast police headquarters.

“Surendran’s remarks are clearly a slander against Najib and the judiciary, which were meant to persecute and shame them,” Muhhamad Farid said.

“Surendran accused Najib of abusing his power so that Anwar could be charged when he knows very well, as he is a lawyer, too, that it is the court which charged him,” Muhamad Farid 51, added.

“By asking Najib to drop the charges against Anwar, this meant that Surendran wanted Najib to abuse his power by influencing the attorney-general,” he stressed.

Muhamad Farid was accompanied by government pensioner Abu Bakar Ahmad Lim, 62, who also lodged a similar report.

The duo want the police to probe the matter thoroughly and take the appropriate action against Anwar.

Additional reporting by Susan Loone.

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