bn must win !!, page-25

As the Malaysia GE13 goes into the home stretch ....

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/5/2/nation/13053672&sec=nation

Saiful Bukhari’s father retracts sodomy conspiracy claim

KUALA LUMPUR: Saiful Bukhari's father Azlan Mohd Lazim has retracted the shocking statement he made against his son in March and reiterated his earlier stand that his son had been sodomised.

He also announced his immediate resignation from PKR.

“The sodomy incident was real and it was not a political conspiracy against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” said Azlan during a press conference here yesterday, refusing to explain the reasons for his sudden retraction, except to say that he had “repented” and “wanted to return to the path of truth”. He said he had also not been pressured by any party to do so.

Azlan, 60, had on March 11 said the case of sodomy involving his son was part of a conspiracy hatched by a special officer of the Prime Minister's Department to destroy Anwar's political career. He joined PKR three days later.

Saiful, 29, the former personal aide of the Pakatan Rakyat leader, however, stood by his allegation that Anwar had sodomised him, as stated in his police report on June 29, 2008.

Anwar was subsequently charged in court but was acquitted on Jan 9 last year. The prosecution has since filed an appeal against the acquittal.

The Court of Appeal has fixed July 22 and 23 to hear the prosecution's appeal.

At yesterday's conference, Azlan handed out a statement retracting all others he had made since March 11, including speeches he had made during opposition ceramah in Penang and Sungai Petani.

“I would also like to retract the apology I made to Anwar and extend my deepest apologies to my mother, siblings and especially to my son who I had betrayed.”

Meanwhile, Saiful said on his Twitter page yesterday that he remained consistent in trying to get justice for himself. “I will continue to pray, to be patient and to remain steadfast,” he said.

Saiful also said in his tweet: “If my father is honest and sincere, I am grateful, alhamdulillah (all praise be to Allah). The truth will stand, Allah's promise is certain.”

In his second tweet, he asked his former employer to stop what he described as “your dirty game”.

“Money cannot erase the truth,” he wrote.

In commenting on the matter, PKR central committee member Datuk Johari Abdul said Azlan was never a party member, adding that his earlier application to join had not been approved.

“It was Azlan who asked to meet us and not the other way around. He himself offered to make the declaration that it was a political conspiracy against Anwar,” he said.