The Prime Minister's Office’s (PMO) swift response to Anwar Ibrahim's guilty verdict has raised eyebrows.

 

The PMO had released the statement minutes after the Federal Court announced its decision and even before sentencing.

 

When the court reconvened after a short break to decide on Anwar's sentence this afternoon, the Permatang Pauh MP raised this matter before the five-member bench.

 

"It is not a coincidence how the PM was able to release a full written statement on your decision barely minutes after you handed your judgment, even before sentencing," he said.

 

After the court adjourned, several Pakatan Rakyat leaders at the Palace of Justice also raised a similar question.

 

"It is worth reflecting how the PMO managed to prepare a statement minutes after the verdict before sentencing.

"This is something that the people should question," Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ( left ) told Malaysiakini .

His father and DAP supremo, Lim Kit Siang, also questioned it on Twitter , posting: "Federal Court delivers judgment dismissing Anwar’s appeal and PMO issues statement within half an hour, even before sentencing."

In the statement, the PMO stressed that the judges had arrived at their verdict independently.

 

"Malaysia has an independent judiciary, and there have been many rulings against senior government figures," it said.

 

'Nothing to do with gov't'

The PMO also insisted that the sodomy claim is brought by a private individual and had nothing to do with the government.

 

The social media, too, was abuzz about the lightning-speed statement.

 

"Actually, why did PMO release a statement minutes after the verdict?" asked Darween Vasudev Nair on Twitter .

 

"PMO slow to come out with statements on many pressing issues in Malaysia, but on Anwar's case not more than 15 minutes before statement issued," said Stephen Doss in a Twitter posting.

 

Another Twitter user, AmiAfy said: "It's crazy how fast the PMO issued a statement. It is as if it had been planned, the script was ready."

 

"The PMO was so quick to release a statement... did they know the decision beforehand?" asked another user who used the Twitter handle Teori Timur.

 

However, a Twitter user by the name of Azam5091 said the PMO may have prepared statements for either outcome.

 

"Did PMO prepare a press statement beforehand? Hmm... they might just (have) prepared statements for both verdicts, maybe," he said.

Wait...did PMO prepared a press statement beforehand? Hmm...they might just prepare statements for both verdict....MAYBE....

— Let's move on... (@azam5091) February 10, 2015

Anwar has always maintained that the sodomy charge, similar to the first one, was fabricated by his political rivals.