Anwar says he endured ‘degrading’ medical examination

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the High Court he went through a "very degrading" physical examination at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur during his detention in July 2008.
The Opposition leader, who testified in the trial-within-a-trial Thursday, said that he was taken to HKL where he was made to undergo a physical examination by consultant surgeon Ee Boon Leong, and consultant physician Jayaindran Sinnadorai.
"The doctors told me to take off my pants, jacket and shirt, and I was wearing only my singlet and underwear.
"After they checked the upper part (of my body), they asked me to take off my underwear and they measured my private parts, measured my pubic hair, and they checked my penis and anus.
“It was very degrading," he told a courtroom packed with local and international media.
He added that he refused to give any samples for DNA profiling, after consulting with his lawyers.
Describing the circumstances of his arrest at about 1pm on July 16, 2008, Anwar told the court that he was on his way home to freshen up and pray, before heading to the police headquarters to meet DSP Jude Blacious Pereira at 2pm.
However, on his way home, his route was blocked by "about 10 to 15 Special Task Force officers, police patrol cars, and commandos wearing balaclavas and armed with sub machine guns".
He said his lawyer Sankara Nair then spoke to an officer in uniform, and asked him the reason for arresting Anwar when he already had a 2pm appointment.
"He wasn't rude, but his reply was just 'My orders were to arrest Datuk Seri Anwar and bring him to IPK KL in my vehicle," he said.
He was then brought to the police station in the back seat of the police vehicle, seated between two commandos.
At the police headquarters, he said he was assured that they only wanted his statement and that he was free to leave after that.
He was then taken to a small room where he gave his statement to DSP Jude from 2.30pm to 5.40pm.
"After that, Jude said 'Percakapan selesai' (Statement done).
"I asked him, 'Are you sure?', and he said, 'Yes, sure.'," he said.
However, instead of being released, he was taken to the hospital for the medical examination, and also detained overnight.
He described his lock-up cell as "extremely cold, deplorable and atrocious", with grills on all sides, with an "extremely dirty" toilet.
"The lock-up had steel bars on all four sides, so I couldn't lean on the wall. I had to sleep on the cement floor.
"I don't expect VIP treatment, but this was not a normal lock-up," he said.
He said was released at about noon the next day, after having his statement taken again.
"I had to go seek medical treatment immediately after that because I was in excruciating pain," he said, referring to his bad back.
Anwar also said he was never told of the grounds of his arrest, during the entire time he was arrested and detained.
Anwar and Sankara were two of the witnesses called by the defence in the trial-within-a-trial in his ongoing sodomy case.
Anwar, 63, has claimed trial to performing carnal intercourse against the order of nature on Mohd Saiful at a condominium unit in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, between 3.15pm and 4pm on June 26, 2008.
On Wednesday, Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah allowed the trial-within-a-trial after Anwar objected to having several items - a toothbrush, a Good Morning towel, a Cactus mineral water bottle and a strand of hair - marked as exhibits in his case.
His lawyers objected on grounds that his arrest and the means by which these items were obtained by the police, were illegal, hence the trial-within-a-trial.
Hearing continues Friday, with the defence calling lawyer R. Sivarasa to the stand.

tunku : anwar should think about all these before sodomizing someone.this is nothing.he should be punished more extremely as he did it many many times.if you have not sodomize saiful why refuse to give your dna? that shows that he is scared because if he gives his dna sample than the "Male Y" will be identified . he must been thinking that they will give him special cell with 5 star treatments and a male partner in the cell.