ID :
16107
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 14:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/16107
The shortlink copeid
UP TO MUSLIMS TO EVALUATE SAIFUL'S SWEARING, SAYS M'SIAN DPM
BUTTERWORTH (Malaysia), Aug 16 (Bernama) -- It is up to Muslims to evaluate the swearing on the Quran by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan that he was sodomised by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He said Saiful had chosen to redeem his honour by the act of "sumpahlaknat" (swearing in the face of divine retribution) and it was apt for Muslims to gauge his action.
"According to our system, any individual accused of sodomy can clear his name the Islamic way or through the courts and Saiful has chosen the former. Itis up to the people to make their own conclusions.
"I have said from the beginning that this issue is a personal matter between Saiful and Anwar and has nothing to do with the Barisan Nasional (the National Front (BN), the government at federal level)," he told reporters hereFriday.
Late Friday evening, Mohd Saiful, 23, swore on the Quran at the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur that he was sodomised by Anwar on June 26 at acondominium near the capital city.
Meanwhile, Anwar described Saiful's action as a dirty political gimmick by Umno (United Malays National Organisation) to cause hisdownfall.
Anwar, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party) advisor, is contesting in a by-election in Permatang Pauh in the northern state of Penang, his hometown, after the seat was vacated by his wife Dr Wan Azizah WanIsmail.
He will be facing Arif Shah Omar Shah, a BN candidate.
Nomination for the by-election is Saturday while polling will be held onAug 26.
-- BERNAMA
He said Saiful had chosen to redeem his honour by the act of "sumpahlaknat" (swearing in the face of divine retribution) and it was apt for Muslims to gauge his action.
"According to our system, any individual accused of sodomy can clear his name the Islamic way or through the courts and Saiful has chosen the former. Itis up to the people to make their own conclusions.
"I have said from the beginning that this issue is a personal matter between Saiful and Anwar and has nothing to do with the Barisan Nasional (the National Front (BN), the government at federal level)," he told reporters hereFriday.
Late Friday evening, Mohd Saiful, 23, swore on the Quran at the Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur that he was sodomised by Anwar on June 26 at acondominium near the capital city.
Meanwhile, Anwar described Saiful's action as a dirty political gimmick by Umno (United Malays National Organisation) to cause hisdownfall.
Anwar, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party) advisor, is contesting in a by-election in Permatang Pauh in the northern state of Penang, his hometown, after the seat was vacated by his wife Dr Wan Azizah WanIsmail.
He will be facing Arif Shah Omar Shah, a BN candidate.
Nomination for the by-election is Saturday while polling will be held onAug 26.
-- BERNAMA
