With the police widening its dragnet against dissent and threatening to haul up former Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong, his successor, Steven Thiru, has today defended Leong’s action in issuing a statement over the verdict of Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II case.

It remains uncertain as to the purpose of the police in wanting to bring in Leong, but it is believed to be related to his statement in reaction to the Federal Court’s judgment over Anwar’s appeal last month.

This follows inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar, who himself is under the spotlight for arresting opposition leaders and activists in what appears to be a clampdown over sedition and peaceful assembly, had taken to the micro-blogging website Twitter to announce that Leong ( left ) is being investigated for sedition.

“I can confirm police have received a report regarding a statement deemed seditious and confusing the people issued by Christopher Leong. We will call CL (Leong’s initials),” he said last night.

- actual tweet - Khalid Abu Bakar @KBAB51 縷 10m 10 minutes ago

@PDRMsia sahkan terima lapuran re-statement yg berunsur menghasut dan mengelirukan Rakyat oleh Christopher Leong. Kita akan panggil CL.”

Statement on Anwar verdict

On Thursday, de facto Law Minister Nancy Shukri had said that no action can be taken against Leong as no police reports had been lodged.

Hence, it is believed that this latest crackdown on Leong could be related to his statement on the Anwar verdict where he claimed there were anomalies in the opposition leader’s case and it would seem the Permatang Pauh MP had been persecuted and not prosecuted.

Several lawyers who called themselves G100 group had tabled a motion wanting Leong to be censured during the Malaysian Bar annual general meeting, but they were soundly defeated .

Thiru, in defending his predecessor, said without having the benefit of reading the police report he wished to reiterate that the Bar Council’s press statement following the Federal Court’s judgment was on the prosecutorial process in Anwar’s case.

“I do not see how the statement could be seditious or misleading or confusing. We urge all parties to stop misconstruing the press statement,” he said in a short response.

Leong who is currently overseas, expressed surprise that the police announce a matter of this nature through the social media.

"I am not certain as to what it concerns or its authenticity. Nevertheless, I will check and seek to verify what it is about.

"My colleagues and lawyers are attending to this at the moment. I would of course cooperate with the police early next week after I return," he told Malaysiakini .