On the same day Anwar was sentenced, the government decided to go public with a Royal Commission of Inquiry report on the beating received by Anwar while in police custody. There's a sense that the government is dragging its feet. Two days later, two Barisan MPs called for the repeal of the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial. Anwar was held under the ISA, and oppositionists have long demanded its abolition. Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, a member of UMNO Youth's executive council, says that the days of old-style politics are gone.
Leaders have to be very open.
Transparency must be seen clearly. It is too early to say, but if reforms do follow, they may come to be regarded as the true outcome of the Anwar saga. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines .