Anwar released on police bail

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-17 12:38

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia's de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was released on police bail Thursday morning after giving statement to police Wednesday night, a Malaysian newspaper reported here on Thursday.

The former Malaysian deputy prime minister went back to his residence here after being released, The Star reported on its website.

Anwar was arrested on Wednesday as he was a suspect, the newspaper quoted Malaysian Deputy Police Inspector-General Ismail Omar as saying.

Police arrested Anwar in accordance with the law and followed every procedure, Ismail said.

Anwar, adviser of PKR (The People's Justice Party), was accused by his aide for sodomy on June 28. He was picked up by the police from his residence here on Wednesday and taken to the city police headquarters.

Anwar was taken to a hospital here for a DNA testing Wednesday night, but he reportedly turned down the DNA testing.

Malaysian national news services Bernama reported Anwar turned down a police request for him to voluntarily allow a DNA sample to be taken in connection with an investigation into a report that he had sodomized a former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Anwar's lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah said police also failed to get his client's permission to conduct a thorough medical examination while he was at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Wednesday night, according to Bernama.

Anwar, 61, stayed in the hospital for two hours, just underwent a basic medical examination, he said.

Police said that they would continue their investigations.