Pakatan show of force at Sodomy II verdict

The opposition front will gather thousands of members and supporters in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 9, when the High Court is due to deliver its verdict in the sodomy trial of coalition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

"Pakatan Rakyat will field 100,000 supporters to express our support for Anwar's leadership," PKR deputy president Azmin Ali told a press conference at party headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

Azmin said PAS was committed to this, with the DAP in close communication with rally coordinator Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, who is PKR Youth leader.

"I have talked to the Islamic party’s secretary-general Mustafa Ali, and he has given PAS’ guarantee that they will support us,” he said.

Azmin added PKR would also discuss the matter with the socialist party’s highest leadership during Pakatan’s presidential council meeting this evening.

Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Rani Abd Osman, who accompanied Azmin at the press conference, reiterated that the Islamic party fully backed PKR on the planned rally.

Asked about PAS’ mobilisation for the rally, Rani said SMSes have already been blasted to its members in all the states to join the peaceful assembly.
On the warning from police to the people not to join in the planned rally, the PAS state commissioner was puzzled.

“They do this when we organise assemblies, but they don’t when Perkasa does. Indeed, they give (Perkasa) a permit before it is applied for,” Rani said.

He stressed that from his experiences abroad, peaceful assemblies occur normally and are managed well by police.

“Saudi Arabia, for example, their handles three million pilgrims during the annual haj. Don’t tell me Malaysian police cannot handle a small number?” Rani jibed.

He also urged all PAS and Pakatan supporters not to bring any weapons or sharp implements with them.

“Cameras to record the rally are okay,” he said.

Pressed by reporters on what would happen if Anwar was found guilty and sentenced to jail, Azmin was non-committal.

“We don’t want to prejudge the system... though our experience and public expectations... have shown that we cannot trust the system.”

He vowed that their plan for the rally would proceed either way, with another mass gathering in Penang.

“We will gather in Penang after the verdict. If Anwar is found not guilty, he will return to his hometown (to celebrate), if not we will gather there to demand for his release (from prison), Azmin added.