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Suit against Malaysia's Anwar halted: Is sexual assault case against a PM a matter of constitution or law?
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attends the BRICS Summit, at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil July 6, 2025. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
A Malaysian Court of Appeal has accepted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's request to completely pause a sexual assault case against him.
In 2021, Yusoff Rawther, a former research aide to Ibrahim, accused him of sexual assault in 2018.
Separately, Ibrahim is appealing a lower court's ruling that sought clarity whether a prime minister had immunity for his pre-office and post-office granted him exception from prosecution.
Previously, Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy in 2000 and 2014. In the first case, he was acquitted by a higher court. In the second case, he received a pardon from the new government.
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In the current case, Ibrahim has denied any wrongdoing.
Anwar Ibrahim's two sodomy convictions
This is at least the third time that Ibrahim has faced serious charges. He has previously been convicted of corruption and sexual assault.
In 1998, Ibrahim was accused of corruption and sodomy. He was the deputy prime minister at the time. He was fired from the government over allegations.
Homosexuality remains criminalised in Malaysia. Those in same-sex relationships are often prosecuted under sodomy charges.
In 1999, Ibrahim was convicted of corruption and sentenced to six years. In 2000, he was convicted of sodomy and sentenced to nine years.
In 2004, the Federal Court overturned the sodomy conviction.
In 2008, Ibrahim was charged with sodomy. Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a former aide, had alleged that Ibrahim sodomised in a house in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.
In case full of turns and twists, Ibrahim was acquitted in 2012, but an appeals court overturned the acquittal and sentenced him to five years in 2014. He was pardoned and released in 2018 after a change of the government.
There has been widespread belief that these cases against Ibrahim were politically-motivated and did not have substance.
What we know of the current case?
The complainant in the current case, Yusoff Rawther, filed his case in 2021 and accused Ibrahim of sexually assaulting him in October 2018 while they were in Ibrahim's residence in Kuala Lumpur.
Yusoff has sought special, general, aggravated, and exemplary damages un the case.
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Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Truce is called, cultural tussle remains: behind Thailand-Cambodia hostility
After days of deadly fighting, Cambodia and Thailand on Monday agreed to an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire'. The ceasefire was negotiated by Prime Ministers Hun Manet of Cambodia and Phumtham Wechayachai of Thailand at a meeting hosted by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur. The clashes followed months of tensions over a century-old border dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours. What is the history of this dispute, and what happens now? Tensions come to a boil Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand had been simmering since May, when they skirmished at a contested area of the border, leading to the death of a Cambodian soldier. Nationalist rhetoric in both countries and a series of tit-for-tat actions followed. Cambodia banned the import of Thai fruits and broadcast of Thai films and soap operas; Thailand closed all land crossings. Last Wednesday, Thailand withdrew its ambassador from Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian envoy after a Thai soldier lost a leg in a land mine blast. Thailand claimed the mine was laid by Cambodian troops in Thai territory. Cambodia responded by downgrading diplomatic relations and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. Clashes broke out at half a dozen places along the border between the Thai provinces of Surin and Sisaket, and Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear. On Thursday, Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military sites, and Cambodia responded with rocket and artillery fire. Exchanges of artillery and machine gun fire followed, in which at least 35 people were killed and more than 2.6 lakh civilians were displaced on both sides of the border, Reuters reported. Making of a conflict The 817-km land border between Cambodia and Thailand was drawn in 1907 by France, then the colonial power in Cambodia. Like many other borders drawn by colonial administrators, this too has long been disputed. The two predominantly Theravada-Buddhist neighbours are more alike than any other country in the region, sharing ethnic and linguistic ties, social norms, culinary traditions, and cultural activities. But both claim to be the 'original' owners of their heritage. This is what drives the animosity between them. The competing claims of cultural ownership are rooted in contesting readings of history, which, scholars say, are purposely propped up by governing elites of the two countries to strengthen their domestic positions. 'Countries fabricate history to celebrate their past, using nationalism as a political tool in the manipulation of public opinion… It is evident that contemporary Thai-Cambodian relations have become a casualty of the remade past,' wrote Charnvit Kasetsiri, Pou Sothirak and Pavin Chachavalpongpun in Preah Vihear: A Guide to the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Its Solutions (2013). Every skirmish in the border thus has the potential to devolve into a much larger conflict. This has happened now, and earlier. Case of Preah Vihear At the centre of the border dispute is the Preah Vihear temple, which is called Phra Viharn in Thai. 'The temple has meaning — both as a cultural symbol and a religious place of worship — to people on both sides of the border,' John D Ciorciari, a professor of international politics at Indiana University, wrote in his 2009 paper 'Thailand and Cambodia: The Battle for Preah Vihear'. The temple was built in the 11th and 12th centuries during the golden age of the Khmer Empire, who at the time ruled much of South Asia, including Siam (Thailand). But beginning in the 15th century, as the Khmer Empire declined, Siam gradually chipped away at Cambodian territory. In 1867, Cambodia officially handed the area around Preah Vihear to Siam. But by this time, France had entered the picture. After colonising Cambodia and Laos, it reduced the Siamese kingdom to a weak position in the neighbourhood. Siam and France signed a treaty in 1904 that said the northern frontier of Cambodia would run along the watershed line of the Dangrek Mountains. While this principle would put most of the Preah Vihear complex in Siam, the official map, drawn by the French in 1907, put the temple in Cambodia. Siam's objections were muted then — but in 1941, after entering into an alliance with Japan, it seized Preah Vihear, only to return it to France at the end of World War II. After Cambodia's independence, Thai troops once again occupied Preah Vihear in 1954. Cambodia moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in 1962 upheld its claim over Preah Vihear. But this did not put the issue to bed. Tensions flared up in 2008 after Cambodia sought to list the Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Thai opposition used the issue to attack the government, accusing it of 'forfeiting Thai dignity and sovereignty', Ciorciari wrote. Cambodian leaders too used the issue to rally nationalist sentiment in the country. Over the next several years, Cambodian and Thai troops frequently skirmished at the border. In 2013, the ICJ re-affirmed Cambodia's position vis-à-vis Preah Vihear, creating a demilitarised zone around the temple, although this was never implemented. Thailand has since rejected the ICJ's jurisdiction. What happens now Preah Vihear temple is the most famous of many disputed sites at the Cambodia-Thailand border which hold cultural significance for both countries. Another such temple, called Prasat Ta Moan Thom by the Cambodians and Prasat Ta Muen Thom by the Thai, witnessed fighting during the recent hostilities. The ceasefire does not fundamentally address issues of cultural inheritance and ownership. It will take a lot more to bring down temperatures in both countries, and for them to permanently iron out the border issue. For the time being, however, analysts expect an uneasy peace to hold. This is primarily because of pressure from outside, notably China and the United States, both of whom oversaw the negotiations in Kuala Lumpur. In fact, the talks were held after US President Donald Trump set the two countries agreeing to a ceasefire as a precondition to their respective trade talks with Washington.
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Thailand army accuses Cambodia of breaking truce
Thailand's army accused Cambodia on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) of violating an hours-old truce, saying clashes continued despite a deal meant to end the bloody fighting that has engulfed their jungle-clad frontier. Following peace talks in Malaysia on Monday (July 28, 2025), both sides agreed an unconditional ceasefire would start at midnight to end fighting over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border. 'At the time the agreement took effect, the Thai side detected that Cambodian forces had launched armed attacks into several areas within Thai territory,' said Thailand army spokesman Winthai Suwaree. 'This constitutes a deliberate violation of the agreement and a clear attempt to undermine mutual trust, he added in a statement. 'Thailand is compelled to respond appropriately, exercising its legitimate right to self-defense.' In Cambodia's Samraong city — 20 kilometres from the border — an AFP journalist said the sound of blasts stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing until dawn. 'The frontline has eased since the ceasefire at 12 midnight,' Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a Tuesday morning message on Facebook. Jets, rockets and artillery have killed at least 38 people since last Thursday (July 24, 2025) and displaced nearly 300,000 more -- prompting intervention from US President Donald Trump over the weekend. The flare-up was the deadliest since violence raged sporadically from 2008-2011 over the territory, claimed by both because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907. The peace deal was set to see military commanders from both sides meet at 07:00 a.m. (0000 GMT), before a cross-border committee is convened in Cambodia to further salve tensions on August 4. 'When I heard the news I was so happy because I miss my home and my belongings that I left behind,' Phean Neth told AFP on Monday evening at a sprawling camp for Cambodian evacuees on a temple site away from the fighting. 'I am so happy that I can't describe it,' said the 45-year-old. 'Good faith' A joint statement from both countries -- as well as Malaysia which hosted the peace talks -- said the ceasefire was 'a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security'. A spokesman for U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Monday evening that 'he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing long-standing issues and achieving lasting peace'. Both sides are courting Mr. Trump for trade deals to avert his threat of eye-watering tariffs, and the US State Department said its officials had been 'on the ground' to shepherd peace talks. The joint statement said China also had 'active participation' in the talks, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN bloc chair Anwar Ibrahim in his country's administrative capital Putrajaya. Mr. Hun Manet thanked Mr. Trump for his 'decisive' support, while his counterpart, Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, said it should be 'carried out in good faith by both sides'. 'If they say they'll stop firing, they must stop completely,' said 43-year-old Thai evacuee Prapakarn Samruamjit in the city of Surin. Post-truce tariff deals Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday (July 28, 2025), but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace had been cancelled amid the strife. Each side had already agreed to a truce in principle, while accusing the other of undermining peace efforts and trading allegations about the use of cluster bombs and targeting of hospitals. Thailand says 11 of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed only eight civilian and five military deaths. More than 138,000 people have fled Thailand's border regions, while around 140,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Thailand and Cambodia truce agreement comes into effect
A truce agreement between Thailand and Cambodia came into effect in the early hours of Tuesday (July 29, 2025), testing whether it will halt five days of open combat that have engulfed their jungle-clad frontier. Both sides agreed an "unconditional" ceasefire would start at midnight on Monday to end battling over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border. In Cambodia's Samraong city — 20 kilometres from the border — an AFP journalist heard a steady drumbeat of artillery strikes throughout Monday, before blast sounds stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing for 30 minutes after. Thailand and Cambodia agree to a ceasefire, says Malaysian PM Elsewhere, Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, which has seen some of the most intense combat, was still quiet 20 minutes after the truce was scheduled to begin, its governor Kim Rithy said on Facebook. Jets, rockets and artillery have killed at least 38 people since Thursday and displaced nearly 300,000 more -- prompting intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend. The flare-up was the deadliest since violence raged sporadically from 2008-2011 over the territory, claimed by both because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907. The peace deal is set to see military commanders from both sides meet at 07:00am (0000 GMT), before a cross-border committee is convened in Cambodia to further salve tensions on August 4. "When I heard the news I was so happy because I miss my home and my belongings that I left behind," Phean Neth told AFP on Monday evening at a sprawling camp for Cambodian evacuees on a temple site away from the fighting. "I am so happy that I can't describe it," said the 45-year-old. 'Good faith' A joint statement from both countries, as well as Malaysia which hosted the peace talks, said the ceasefire was "a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security". A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Monday evening that "he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing long-standing issues and achieving lasting peace". Both sides are courting Mr. Trump for trade deals to avert his threat of eye-watering tariffs, and the US State Department said its officials had been "on the ground" to shepherd peace talks. The joint statement said China also had "active participation" in the talks, hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister and ASEAN bloc chair Anwar Ibrahim in his country's administrative capital Putrajaya. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet thanked Mr. Trump for his "decisive" support, while his counterpart, Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, said it should be "carried out in good faith by both sides". "If they say they'll stop firing, they must stop completely," said 43-year-old Thai evacuee Prapakarn Samruamjit in the city of Surin. Post-truce tariff deals On the eve of the talks, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camped in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. It said there was fighting at seven areas in the rural region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and fields where locals farm rubber and rice. Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday, but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace had been cancelled amid the strife. Mr. Trump has threatened both countries with high levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals — but said he would "look forward" to signing them once "peace is at hand". Each side had already agreed to a truce in principle, while accusing the other of undermining peace efforts and trading allegations about the use of cluster bombs and targeting of hospitals. Thailand says 11 of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed only eight civilian and five military deaths. However, the Thai military said it has returned the bodies of 12 Cambodian soldiers killed in combat. More than 138,000 people have fled Thailand's border regions, while around 140,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia.
