'What conspiracy? Saiful had to go through all the hassle to get himself examined' - Shafee

This was the question posed by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lead prosecutor, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, citing it was merely a 'conspiracy' orchestrated by the opposition.

Unless Anwar’s former personal assistant, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was used as a ‘tool’ to 'avenge' the opposition, the government would have made the path easier for the ‘conspiracy’ process.

“Saiful went to Tawakal Hospital in the morning and there was no specialist available to tend to him that morning, before he adjourned to Pusrawi Hospital where a specialist has adviced him to conduct the checkup at Kuala Lumpur Hospital instead.”

“Saiful reached the hospital (Kuala Lumpur Hospital) at 3.30pm, and if at that moment conspiracy accusation existed, I’m at a loss for words because he had to wait until 9.30pm before his appointment with a specialist,” he said.

Shafee was commenting at a dialogue billed, “Dialog Bersama Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah” which was held at Akademi Kepimpinanan Kapten Hussein (AKHI) here, Tuesday.

Also present were Youth and Sports Minister and Umno Youth Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, Umno Youth vice-president, Khairul Azwan Harun and Linggi MP, Abd. Rahman Mohd Reza.

Anwar is serving a five years’ sentence after Federal Court upheld its conviction on him for sodomising Mohd Saiful seven years ago.

At the same time, Shafee has denied allegation citing he was an Umno agent for his involvement in the information council of the political party.

As Shafee fielded questions from the guests, he also stated that his presence had an impact on the real scenario especially after the case was resolved and that it did not have any importance in Umno.

“I was a lawyer by profession and do not have any political inclination on any political parties.

“I was the individual that caused the banning of Umno in court in 1986 after I represented a certain faction of the party -- which later went on to form an alternative political party (Semangat 46) -- at the height of Umno internal crisis.

“Looking back at my history with Umno, there are so many things can be said as the party's attorney," said Shafee.

Anwar, he added should be grateful to the judiciary system which has factored in his age in the conviction.

The dialogue, said Khairy will also be held at various venues around the country.

"We have waited for six years for the case to be resolved. Now, we need to be patient and wait for the right moment to inform the public about the case.