Keadilan Youth chief Ezam Mohd Nor, who today entered his defence for allegedly leaking secret government documents to the media, told the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court that it was his "duty" to expose corrupt practices by government leaders.

Ezam, 34, who is currently being held under the Internal Security Act, said that he received two Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigation reports on International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Malacca chief minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik through 'Pos Laju' from a person he did not know.

"I do not remember the date I received the documents but they were sent to my house through 'Pos Laju'. The sender's name was 'Fazli' from Kampung Sahong, Kampar, Perak," he said.

Questioned further by counsel Raja Aziz Addruse, Ezam told judge Wan Afrah Wan Ibrahim that after reading the documents, he discussed the contents with several friends.

"It was my own decision to expose the documents to the public because I was of the opinion that it involved the interest of the people.

"It was also my duty to expose the documents to those who should be aware of corrupt practices being committed by top ranking government leaders in the country," he said.

Consent

Ezam added that he decided to act in his capacity as the party's Youth chief in exposing the documents, and therefore sought the consent of the wing's exco members prior to the exposure .

"There was an official letter from the Youth wing to announce it at a press conference by me. I held the press conference at the Keadilan office and there were a lot of reporters present," said Ezam.

He added that he read a press statement and distributed photocopies of the documents to those at the press conference.

At this point, Raja Aziz asked him to read the whole press statement aloud in the courtroom, which he did.

In the statement, Ezam said he was aware of the risks involved in exposing the documents to the public but it was his duty to make the public aware of the contents of the investigations.

Upholding the law

Ezam then told the court that he purposely wrote that particular part in the statement "to prove that as a political leader given the mandate to lead the Youth wing, upholding the law and people's money was the basis of my political struggle".

"A leader should be brave and confident to expose corrupt practices for the sake of the people's interest, although it may be very risky," he said.

When asked what were the risks that he thought he would face when he exposed the documents, Ezam replied that "the act of exposing the wrongdoings of those in power and of importance, could invite all sorts of pressures against me."

He also told the court that although the word ' rahsia ' (secret) was stamped on each page of the documents, he still went ahead and exposed the contents because of two reasons.

"Firstly, from my experience as a political secretary to the finance minister once, and as an important member of the ruling party Umno, as well as from my understanding of reports in the newspapers on the contents of the documents (prior to his expose), I had enough reasons to believe that the word 'rahsia' was only stamped to protect the corrupt practices committed by government leaders.

Utmost responsibility

"Secondly, after reading each and every word in the documents involving the two leaders, the ACA and the Attorney General's Chambers, I thought that it was my utmost responsibility to expose them," he said, completing his testimony.

Ezam, a former political secretary to jailed deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, is accused of disclosing the documents at a press conference at 12.45pm on Nov 6, 1999 at the Keadilan head quarters in Phileo Damansara.

He is being charged under Section 8(1)(i) of the Official Secrets Act 1972 which carries a jail term of not less than one year, and not more than seven years upon conviction.

Ezam is currently serving a two-year detention order at the Kamunting detention camp together with five other opposition leaders, for alleged involvement in a militant attempt to overthrow the government.

Ezam, who was dressed in slacks and a blue short-sleeved shirt, appeared calm throughout the proceedings. He was seen smiling and talking to his wife Bahirah Tajol Aris, the couple's three children and a group of supporters present in the courtroom today.

The trial was adjourned at 4pm. A new defence witness is expected to be called in when the hearing resumes tomorrow morning.