A CONCERN NO DOUBT

SOME weeks ago a friend from college told some of us that the main concern of the agencies involved in the investigations into the sodomy allegation against Anwar Ibrahim was the possibility of sabotage. He spoke briefly about what had happened in 1998, when Anwar faced a few charges, including that for sodomy. On the sodomy charge the Federal Court let him free in 2004 in a 2-1 decision.

That possibility, resulting from the work of either a sympathiser or someone corrupt, cannot be ruled out nonchalantly with a mere wave of the hand because there are a few agencies involved -- the police, hospital, laboratory, prosecution -- and by the time the probe is wrapped up, a few hundred personnel would have been involved.

We still don't have the full picture but events surrounding Myanmmar doctor Mohamed Osman of Kuala Lumpur's Pusrawi Hospital do give rise to questions. Now we are told that he has not reported back for work after being on leave and may in fact be back in his country, all happening on the quiet.

I'm not too sure I can understand why so much focus has been placed on Osman's report, even if the one posted on the Internet is a true copy of the genuine document, when it will be superseded by whatever reports the prosecution will have from specialists at the KL Hospital. Anwar's many lawyers must know this.

Osman may have made the statutory declaration on August 1, although why he had to do it is again beyond comprehension. It was also surprising that something so important like an SD which is handled by only a few persons should fall into the hands of a third party so quickly to make it into the Internet again.

The many references to Osman's report suggest an attempt not only to discredit the prosecution's case against Anwar but also to discredit all the agencies investigating the allegation against him by Mohd. Saiful.

Osman's disappearance makes it two. The first to run away some weeks ago was private investigator P. Balasubramaniam who did work for Abdul Razak Baginda in the Altantuya Shaaribuu case.

Considering our Malaysian environment vis-a-vis the safety of people involved in high-profile court cases it is highly unusual for two to disappear within such a short period. Normally anyone who is intimidated or feels unsafe would turn to the police for protection and protected they are. But in most instances he who disappears is he who has something to hide or he who knows he has done wrong.

Which is why I smell a rat in both cases. I have my suspicions and wish I could write about my hunch here about where the stench is coming from.