The Nation, Bangkok,
Jan 8 1999

Police bruised by Anwar's black eye

No one, other than Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, should be surprised by the confirmation that the police are, after all, responsible for Anwar Ibrahim's black eye. What many find surprising, however, is that the three-month-long investigation has failed to identify the assailants. It was, as opposition leader Lim Kit Siang put it, ''a crime without criminals''.

Yesterday, police chief Abdul Rahim Noor resigned to take full responsibility for Anwar's injuries. But, if by quitting, Rahim and his political masters think they can assuage the growing anger of Malaysians, they are dead wrong. Anwar's assailants must be found and punished.

Anwar had alleged that he was taken blindfolded to a police cell after his arrest by armed commandos in ninja outfits last September. There he was greeted with a slew of thundering blows that left one eye swollen and a bloodied nose. He appeared nine days later in court sporting a black eye, and Mahathir's incredulous suggestion that Anwar had inflicted the injuries on himself only served to add fire to the international outrage.

While Malaysia's top law officer, Mohtar Abdullah, has conceded that the police were the culprits, he nevertheless followed his boss's example in casting aspersions on Anwar's claims. On Tuesday, Mohtar insisted that Anwar exaggerated the facts of his beating. ''Based on the medical report and the investigation file, I am satisfied that several injuries alleged by Anwar are not true while there are other injuries on some parts of his body which are proved to have been caused by police officers,'' he said.

Such maligning of the accuser's reputation appears to be Mohtar's standard policy. A few years ago, Mohtar had found ''insufficient'' evidence to persecute a senior politician and a Mahathir stalwart, Rahim Thamby Chik, for statutory rape against an underaged girl. At the press conference where he made the announcement, Mohtar went to great lengths in volunteering damaging personal information of the victim.

The girl, he said, had lodged police reports against 14 men for having sex with her. This, however, did not include the errant politician. He added that the men had confessed to the crime. Moreover, Mohtar said the victim was eight weeks pregnant.

Mohtar's intention was clear -- to vilify the girl. His message was: ''She was loose anyway, so why bother''. Such revelations directly contravene the Evidence Act -- a reform won by women's groups -- which bars the victim's sexual history from being taken into consideration in rape cases. Indeed, Mohtar should know better. He was an experienced high court judge dealing in criminal cases for many years before he was appointed attorney general. Then, as is now, there were calls for his resignation.

The girl in question was subsequently detained, ostensibly for her own ''protection'', while her rapists were all set free on probation. An opposition politician, Lim Guan Eng, who had the temerity to highlight the injustices of the case was later punished with a three-year prison term. And Rahim? He is presently playing a key role in helping to convince Malaysians of, yes, Anwar's sexual proclivities.

This is justice Mahathir-style. Which is why Mohtar's vows on Tuesday that he would not hesitate to punish those responsible for Anwar's injuries should be taken with a huge pinch of salt.

Clearly, it is not only Anwar but the whole administration of justice which is on trial. Anwar's black eye aside, the image of the Malaysian police has taken a severe battering. Not only did the police beat Anwar, they have admitted to brutal tactics in ''turning over'' witnesses. In addition, their top intelligence officer had testified in court that he would willingly lie under oath to protect his bosses. And now the Malaysian police concede they are unable to solve a crime committed inside the top-security precincts of their own national headquarters.

No doubt police chief Rahim Noor is the first government casualty in the still unfolding Anwar drama. He will not be the last. To come will surely be the resignations of his bosses -- Mohtar and Mahathir.