(3 Feb 2010)
1. Various of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim arriving at court surrounded by journalists and supporters
2. Various of Anwar supporters wearing mask of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosma dancing
3. Set-up of Anwar, UPSOUND: supporters chanting
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Anwar Ibrahim, Opposition Leader:
"I think the whole intention of this (inaudible) prosecution today is to smear my name, my good name and image with scurrilous attack on my character, but I believe, as in the case of 1998, when they talk with (inaudible) all the matters, everything will be expunged at the right time. So we have to remain patient and we will give a good fight."
5. Anwar surrounded by supporters, UPSOUND: chanting
6. Anwar walks towards car and waves to supporters
STORYLINE:
A court trying Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy heard explicit details from his accuser on Wednesday after the Malaysian opposition leader denied the charge that he had illicit sexual relations with a male aide.
At the start of the trial, Anwar claimed the allegation was part of a high-level conspiracy to thwart his political movement that came close to dislodging a government in power for more than five decades.
It is the second time in his political career that the former deputy premier has been charged with sodomy, which in Muslim-majority Malaysia is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
He previously served six years in prison for alleged corruption and sodomy before the sodomy conviction was overturned.
A new conviction could would be a huge setback to his opposition alliance, the only significant rival to the long-ruling government coalition.
Anwar, 62, is accused of sodomising 24-year-old Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former election worker and aide, on June 26, 2008, at a private condominium.
Saiful lodged a police complaint two days later.
Anwar is married with six children. His supporters accuse the government of either planting or fabricating any evidence to frame the political leader and discredit the opposition.
Prosecutors on Wednesday called Saiful as their first witness after promising to unveil explicit and unvarnished details of the alleged act, including semen samples taken from Saiful''s anus that they claimed belonged to Anwar.
A calm-looking Saiful said he went to the condominium to discuss Anwar''s work schedule with him, but Anwar instead used coarse language to ask him whether he wanted to have sex.
Saiful told the court he refused the request. Anwar then ordered him to go to the master bedroom, Saiful said.
Anwar then drew the curtains and turned the lights off before telling Saiful to go into the bathroom to wash himself, he said.
Saiful said he obeyed and then came out wearing only a towel. Anwar, who was standing by the bed and also wearing a towel, asked Saiful to come over and hugged him, Saiful said.
High Court Judge Mohamad Zabidin Diah then agreed to a defence request for the remainder of Saiful''s testimony to be recorded in private without the media or public observers, due to its explicit nature. The hearing was scheduled to continue on Thursday.
The long-awaited trial started after Anwar''s lawyers exhausted efforts over the past 18 months to put the proceedings on hold because of unresolved technicalities, including their requests for advance access to the prosecution''s medical evidence in the case.
As he left court Anwar said the prosecution wanted "to smear my name, my good name and image with scurrilous attack on my character".
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