PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has declined to comment on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s assertion that the rule of law was followed during Anwar’s first sodomy trial, saying the country’s focus should be on the economy instead of the two leaders. 

“I will not entertain questions, including from Malaysiakini or whatever or from Malaysian Insider or The Star or whatever to engage in this rancourous exchange with Dr Mahathir,” he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today after officiating the launch of the Lembah Pantai office in Kampung Kerinchi. 

“We have decided to work together and I will maintain that position and I will not be provoked into this new rancourous exchange because our interest is the nation. 

“The priority of Malaysia is not Anwar versus Mahathir as some of you tend to continue to harp on.

“Our interest now is the economy. People are facing hardship. We must support the government in all measures necessary to alleviate the problems of the people.”

When Dr Mahathir addressed the Oxford Union early this morning, he said he followed the rule of law during Anwar’s first sodomy trial in 1998.

During the address, Dr Mahathir had rejected a suggestion that he had subverted the rule of law when he was prime minister. 

“He was tried in a court of law for nine months before he was sentenced to jail,” Dr Mahathir said. 

“The rule of law says that if you commit something wrong, you will be charged and tried in a court of law and it is the judges who will decide, not me,” he added. 

Dr Mahathir first period in office as prime minister was from 1981 until 2003. 

Anwar was Dr Mahathir’s deputy from 1993 until he was sacked in 1998, after which he tried and convicted of sodomy and abuse of power charges.

He was released in 2004 after the Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction.  

Anwar was jailed a second time for sodomy in 2015 under the Najib Razak administration and was released last May after Pakatan Harapan swept into power. He is slated to be the next prime minister, according an understanding among coalition partners, but the date of the handover has yet to be specified. – January 19, 2019.