FAC News - Thursday, May 30, 2002 6:32 AM

THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ANWAR’S BEATING

Anwar never called Rahim Noor ‘dog’

Tan Sri Rahim Noor, the previous Inspector General of Police (IGP), at first denied beating up Anwar Ibrahim on the night of 20 September 1998 and said he would investigate who did. Then, when he could no longer deny that he himself had done the evil deed, he admitted beating up Anwar but said he was provoked into doing so by Anwar who called him a ‘dog’.

The police officers who testified at the Royal Commission of Inquiry from 22 February to 4 March 1999 said that they only heard Anwar’s voice AFTER the beating and not before. Therefore, the story of the “dog” name-calling cannot be true.

“When I was about halfway to the passage, I heard a voice from cell number six. I heard, “Adoi, ya Allah, janganlah pukul saya, (“Ow, oh God, don’t beat me”).”

“That’s all I heard. In a voice as if pleading,” said Dato Ramli Yusoff, the Deputy Director of the CID, to the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

“I did not hear any (other) words before I heard the words, “Adoi, Allah, jangan pukul saya,” coming from the cell.”

“At that moment I rushed into the cell. I saw Dato Seri Anwar was lying down, face up, on the cement slab, and I also noticed Tan Sri Rahim with his hand swinging.”

“I immediately, spontaneously, held Tan Sri Rahim’s right hand and pushed him backwards away from Dato Seri Anwar until he was off-balance.”

“At that time, I saw Dato Yaacob (CID Director) holding Tan Sri Rahim’s pants from behind and both of us pushed him out of the cell, and led him out of the lockup.”

“I turned back and went inside cell number six. I saw the injuries sustained by Dato Seri Anwar. I saw swelling on his left forehead. I then instructed ASP Rodwan to apply compression and ointment on the forehead.”

“There was a brief meeting on the 11^th floor. We spoke and discussed among ourselves the injuries sustained by Dato Seri Anwar and also to put up the necessary report. At that time, I received a call from ASP Rodwan. He informed me that the swelling sustained by Dato Seri Anwar had increased.”

“I informed Tan Sri Rahim about the injuries on Dato Seri Anwar and asked him what I should do. He instructed me in English, “Leave it to me.” He did not mention to me regarding the arrest.”

“At about 1.00am on the 21^st September 1998, I received a phone call from Dato Yaacob instructing me to detain Dato Seri Anwar under the ISA.”