KUALA LUMPUR - A picture of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim holding a handphone which has gone viral on social media was taken when he attended a hearing at the Federal Court in Putrajaya on February 10, and not at the High Court yesterday.
Prisons Department Deputy Director (Prison’s Policy) Supri Hashim said the picture was taken when Anwar was a free man and still not under the control of the prison authorities.
“Close and tight checks and escort found no telephone was given to Anwar or carried by him when he was taken to the Jalan Duta High Court.
“The procedure on escort and control on Anwar is in line with provisions in the Prison Act 1995 and the Prison Regulations 2000,” he said in a statement here today.
Following the spread of the picture, some quarters had raised questions on Anwar’s presence in the court, with no handcuff, in civilian cloth and holding a handphone, which some claimed was taken when he attended the hearing of his defamation suit against Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman yesterday.
Anwar is currently serving his five-year jail for sodomising his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
On clothing worn by prison inmates, Supri said those taken out of the prison to attend court hearing were allowed to wear their own clothing.
Anwar Ibrahim and his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar arrive at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.
“When taken to the Jalan Duta Court, Anwar was clad in his own clothing, a bluish long-sleeved shirt, while the picture that went viral on social media, showed him wearing a shirt of a different colour.
He also said that it was not necessary for prisoners to be handcuffed when they were brought to attend court hearing.
“The procedure is implemented on all prisoners and not just Anwar. The same procedure is applied when Anwar was taken to court.
“The handcuff is used on prisoners with risks, possibility of escaping, with potential to hurt oneself or others,” he added. - Bernama
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