KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Do not use street demonstrations with the intent to influence court decisions or threaten the judicial system, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim was quoted by Bernama Online as saying today.

The information, communication and culture minister (picture) was addressing rumours that the youth wing of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is purportedly planning a “901 Free Anwar Gathering” on January 9 to coincide with the verdict for the sodomy case involving Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar is accused of sodomising a former aide, a charge that he has vehemently denied, saying that it is part of a ploy to destroy his political career.

Rais cited the case of the late Datuk Harun Idris whose supporters did not resort to demonstrations when the former Selangor mentri besar was sentenced to two years’ jail in 1977 after being found guilty of taking a bribe of RM250,000 from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).  

He was also sentenced to an additional six months’ jail after being found guilty of misappropriating RM8 million of Bank Kerjasama Rakyat’s funds. He was the bank’s chairman at the time.

Rais added that such gatherings do not reflect the real justice being practised in the country and that he is confident the majority of Malaysians will not participate in such demonstrations.