POLICE DENY PUTTING PRESSURE ON DOCTOR WHO EXAMINED SAIFUL

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Police Friday denied they had put pressure on a doctor of a private hospital when recording a statement from him on his medical examination of Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan who has accused People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) (PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy.

CID Director Bakri Zinin said the statement from Dr Muhammad Osman
Abdul Hamid of Pusrawi Hospital here was recorded during the early stage of
their investigation and that he was not summoned to the police station to give
the statement.

"We wish to reiterate that at no time was Dr Muhammad Osman put under
pressure by the police. Instead, we recorded his statement in his office with
utmost professionalism and courtesy," he said in a statement.

Dr Muhammad Osman had said Thursday he felt pressured when asked three
times by police to assist in the investigation.

Bakri said police could not comment on the contents of the statutory
declaration made by Dr Muhammad Osman as he could be a witness in Anwar's
upcoming trial.

Anwar had pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Aug
7 to
a charge of sodomising Mohd Saiful Bukhari, his former aide. He was released on
a personal bond of RM20,000.

Bakri said Dr Muhammad Osman would be given the opportunity to clarify
matters pertaining to his medical examination of Mohd Saiful Bukhari if he is
called to testify at the trial.