Anwar charged under section 377B, Penal Code for sodomy

PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim questioned why he was the only one brought to court if he supposedly had ‘consensual’ unnatural sex with his former aide.

“If it is consensual, why was I the only one being charged? This is a political persecution.”

To answer to him, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan is not being charged for sodomy because he is the complainant in the sodomy case against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said that in a criminal justice system, when a person comes forward to report on a matter, the person would be protected.

"Usually, the victim would be given protection," said Syed Hamid.

The charge against Anwar: That you, on Jun 26, 2008 between 3.01 pm and 4.30 pm at Unit 11-5-1, Desa Damansara Condominium, No 99 Jalan Setia kasih, Bukit Damansara in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, intentionally had carnal intercourse against the order of nature with Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan where you inserted your penis into his anus, and therefore you had a crime which can be punishable under section 377B of the Penal Code.

Penal Code, section 377B - Committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature : Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years, and shall also be liable to whipping.