KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Putrajaya should remove the provision in the Penal Code that criminalises sodomy, an Asian human rights group suggested today after Malaysia’s apex court sentenced Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to jail for committing the act.
In a statement here, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) said it strongly condemns the Federal Court’s decision today, calling it a “serious step backwards” for Malaysia.
“The verdict... is a serious step backwards in an already dismal environment for the rule of law, democracy and human rights in Malaysia,” the group said.
It added that the verdict is also a reflection of the government’s continuing efforts to crack down on the opposition, human rights defenders and critics here.
“We reiterate our call for the Malaysian government to repeal all repressive laws, including the sodomy law, the Sedition Act and the Peaceful Assembly Act, as well as immediately cease its attempts to curb any dissent or silence criticism of its rule,” Forum-Asia said.
Earlier today, the Federal Court sentenced Anwar to five years’ jail, upholding an earlier Court of Appeal decision that reversed the leader’s acquittal of sodomising former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan
The decision effectively ends the Opposition Leader’s legal options to challenge the conviction.
With the Federal Court’s five-year jail sentence, Anwar now stands to lose his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat as the law bars anyone fined over RM2,000 or imprisoned more than one year from serving as a lawmaker, unless a free pardon is granted.
The decision also leaves the Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition pact without a leader.
