The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today dismissed the objection made by lawyers representing Anwar Ibrahim for senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to ask questions on the PKR de-facto leader's conviction in Sodomy II.

 

The Umno linked lawyer is representing Malaysian United Indian Party president, Senator S Nallakaruppan, in Anwar's RM60 million defamation suit.

 

Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab in his ruling, said since Anwar pleaded in his statement of claim that he has good character, the defence should be allowed to cross-examine on his conduct.

"I find that the questions by the defendant's lawyer are on  character and this generally affects the statement of claim. For Anwar to prove his claim, he must prove that he has good character.

“The defendants claim he does not. In the circumstances the defendant is allowed to produce evidence (of Anwar's alleged bad character) for this purpose,” Mohd Zaki said.

 

Following this, Mohd Zaki allowed Shafee ( photo ) to ask the question.

 

However, lawyer Latheefa Koya for Anwar, asked for a short adjournment ‎to consult her client.

After a short recess, Latheefa told the court that they would appeal Mohd Zaki's ruling on the matter at the Court of Appeal and hence would like to apply for a stay of the ongoing proceedings till the appeal.

To this, Mohd Zaki allowed the stay and fixed June 16 for case management.

 

Shafee had already questioned Anwar over his conviction for abuse of power during sodomy I in 1998 which was upheld at the Federal Court.

 

He had also asked over the remarks made by Federal Court judge Abdul Hamid Mohamad, who, when the apex court acquitted Anwar for Sodomy I, noted the court believed the incident did take place.

 

Nallakaruppan used to be Anwar's tennis partner, and was a former PKR leader.

He had claimed in 2008, before the Permatang Pauh by-election, he gave RM60 million owned by Magnum Corporation where he was a director, to the PKR de-facto leader.

 

[More to follow]