PASIR MAS: Independent member of parliament Datuk Ibrahim Ali has joined the chorus of calls for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to cooperate with the authorities in the on-going sodomy investigation.

The Pasir Mas MP said Anwar's continued refusal to cooperate may erode public confidence in him.

"If he is innocent, he should not worry. He should cooperate with the police for a speedy completion of the case," Ibrahim said.

"There is no reason for Anwar not to cooperate as the government had also announced that the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police are not involved in the current investigation."

Anwar, the de facto Parti Keadilan Rakyat leader, had refused to give a blood sample for DNA testing in the investigation into the sodomy allegation against him.
His refusal stems from the fact that the IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and A-G Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail are still in office.

Earlier this month, Anwar had lodged a police report against the two, alleging that they had fabricated evidence against him in the 1998 "black eye" incident.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar had urged Anwar to take the DNA tests so that this matter could be resolved immediately.

Syed Hamid had also said that the government was willing to have Anwar's personal doctor present when the blood sample was given for DNA tests.

But the former deputy prime minister still claimed the tests could be manipulated.

"By offering a lot of excuses, the public confidence in him may erode," Ibrahim said at a ceramah in Lemal near here on Saturday evening.

Ibrahim, however, suggested that an independent public prosecutor be picked to handle the case, someone not from the A-G's chambers.

"If need be, appoint a foreigner. Let Anwar bring his own doctor to witness the DNA testing. No one in the country should be above the law.

"The public must also not draw their own conclusions or come up with conspiracy theories," Ibrahim said.

The sodomy allegation was made by Anwar's former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, who lodged a police report on June 28.

Since then, police have recorded statements from at least 20 witnesses. On Wednesday, police nabbed Anwar as he was returning to his house in Bukit Segambut.

Later that day, he was taken to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital but he refused to give a blood sample for DNA testing.

Anwar claimed that police had his DNA from his case a decade ago. But the findings then are still being challenged by him through the police report lodged against the IGP and A-G.

He was held overnight at the city police headquarters before he was released on bail the following morning. He has to report to the police headquarters again on Aug 18.