Anwar vindicated but Attorney-General should give full accounting of the compensation government is paying for Rahim Noor’s “black-eye” assault

Media Statement (2)
by Lim Kit Siang  

(Parliament, Thursday): Former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been vindicated with the apology of former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Rahim Noor for the “black-eye” assault and the undisclosed amount of compensation, resulting in an out-of-court settlement and dropping of Anwar’s civil suits for compensation against Rahim Noor and the government.

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should publicly disclose the compensation which the government had undertaken to pay Anwar for the out-of-court settlement as taxpayers’ monies are involved and the government owes the people full accountability for every ringgit spent – and whether  the government proposes to initiate action  to recoup the compensation from Rahim Noor.

Malaysian taxpayers are entitled to demand to know why they have to bear financial responsibility and liability  for the criminal negligence of the former Inspector-General Police who acted most irresponsibly  in taking  the law into his own hands in his brutal assault of Anwar and who got away so lightly for his crime, which had brought unprecedented shame to the Royal Malaysian Police Force and  the nation’s international reputation and standing.

If there is no satisfactory explanation from Gani Patail, this issue will be pursued in the budget meeting of Parliament beginning on September 19. 

The question Members of Parliament, whether government or opposition, should decide is why the Malaysian taxpayers must pay for Rahim Noor’s crime – and if the government must be liable, whether the liability should not be narrowed to those responsible for the police force at the time to bear full financial responsibility.

(04/08/2005)