*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* { Sila lawat Laman Hizbi-Net - http://www.hizbi.net } { Hantarkan mesej anda ke: [EMAIL PROTECTED] } { Iklan barangan? Hantarkan ke [EMAIL PROTECTED] } *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* Undilah PAS : MENENTANG KEZALIMAN & MENEGAKKAN KEADILAN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anwar backers, diplomats say report does not end poisoning saga KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (AFP) - A cautiously worded, seven-page medical report concluding that Malaysia's jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim is not suffering from acute arsenic poisoning is a setback but not a bombshell for the opposition, diplomats believe. A leader of the National Justice Party (Keadilan) led by Anwar's wife Wan Azizah welcomed the report presented to court as his sodomy trial resumed Tuesday and dismissed suggestions the affair would harm the party's prospects. "We are happy that Anwar is not suffering from chronic or acute arsenic poisoning," said Keadilan deputy president Chandra Muzaffar. "Thank God and thank the doctors who are really very competent." But Chandra said the party still wanted to find out why the arsenic level was so high in a sample of Anwar's urine taken on August 18 and tested in Australia under an assumed name. That reported finding led to the sensational adjournment of Anwar's trial on September 10 for hospital tests after lawyers said the sample showed high levels of arsenic, indicating a possible murder attempt. Chandra said the party did not dispute the latest medical report, which showed no evidence of acute poisoning in samples of hair, nails and urine taken in September and tested locally and overseas. But the report had not tried to explain the August test, he said, repeating calls for the government to set up an independent inquiry and pointing out doctors found Anwar was clearly not well. The report said Anwar -- who claims to be the victim of a top-level political conspiracy -- had not been found to suffer from any disease that could account for his symptoms, which included substantial loss of weight, hair loss, numbness, dehydration and bodily discomfort. "He also has no clinical signs of acute or chronic arsenic poisoning," it added, recommending periodic medical checks. Even before Tuesday's report, the government was on the offensive against claims of a poisoning conspiracy. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who set the whole stranger-than-fiction saga in motion when he sacked his heir apparent 13 months ago, has termed the claim "really ridiculous." "We don't murder people for their political beliefs," he has said. Ministers have termed the allegations a ploy to gain sympathy ahead of general elections due next June but widely expected sooner. The poisoning allegations brought some 10,000 people onto the streets September 19 to show support for Anwar, whose rapid rise was mirrored by his equally dramatic fall. The allegations -- which followed a beating Anwar earlier received in custody from the then national police chief -- were seen as giving the opposition new momentum. A western diplomat said he believed Tuesday's report "will damage his credibility somewhat with the public but I don't think it discredited them (the opposition) totally. "It remains to be seen how serious the damage will be. "Obviously there is something wrong with Anwar. He has lost a lot of weight and hair. He must have some health problems." On whether the report would affect the opposition's chances in the impending election, the diplomat said: "I don't really think so. Peoples' faith in the government and mainstream press is fairly low." Another diplomat said the report would "definitely be a setback for the opposition." "They (the government) were already attacking him (Anwar) even before the report was out. They will turn the whole thing to their favour. I don't think this is the end of it (the poisoning claims)." Christopher Fernando, one of Anwar's lawyers, told AFP: "He has in fact been poisoned but it's not acute or chronic. That's what the report says." Anwar's poisoning claim, whatever its merits, is just the latest chapter in an extraordinary saga which has split the country's Muslim Malay community, Mahathir's political bedrock. Apart from Anwar's black eye, for which the former police chief will face trial in March, there have been graphic descriptions inside and outside court of Anwar's alleged homosexuality, the production of a semen-stained mattress in his previous trial and the denial by a prosecution witness she is a "small-time hooker." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ( Melanggan ? To : [EMAIL PROTECTED] pada body : SUBSCRIBE HIZB) ( Berhenti ? 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