KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher today defended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was accused of interfering in the court's decision to grant a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on his 47 graft charges.

Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) who opened the debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review at the Dewan Rakyat special sitting today said he had heard all the criticisms hurled at Anwar and firmly asserted that the Prime Minister did not interfere in the matter.

"Frankly speaking, sometimes I get the opportunity to personally speak with the Prime Minister. I shared with him my opinion that we cannot interfere in the court process, that we have to maintain the independence of the judiciary and he agreed, he did not interfere," Hassan said.

When Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) interjected and questioned whether what he said could be trusted, Hassan said:

"I have every right to believe what my leader says. I will not throw my leader under the bus, and I will defend him in this august hall."

Hassan, who has a legal background, also proposed to Anwar to give an explanation pertaining to his alleged interference in Ahmad Zahid's DNAA case at the Dewan Rakyat, so as to put a stop to the issue.

Prior to this, Anwar stressed that he had never interfered in the court's decision pertaining to the DNAA granted to Ahmad Zahid, and that it was the Attorney-General who had the full power to decide for the prosecution in the case.

-- BERNAMA