Prison Dept refutes claims that Anwar spoke with media

PETALING JAYA: The Prisons Department has refuted claims that jailed former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had issued a media statement on Aug 14 over the fracas at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum in Shah Alam on Sunday and on the upcoming 14th General Election.
The department's deputy policy director Supri Hashim in a statement said Anwar, who is serving a five-year prison sentence was brought to the Civil court in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 14 to attend a civil proceeding involving him.
"During the proceeding, Anwar was under the surveillance of prison personnel. Those who were not related to the court proceedings were not allowed to meet him, including members of the media.
"The photograph used, together with the article on Anwar's alleged statement, was not when Anwar was in court on Aug 14," said Supri.
On Sunday, pandemonium broke out after chairs were thrown and shoes flung on stage as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was speaking. Two flares were ignited in the hall.
The organisers were forced to escort Mahathir and other VIPs out of the Selangor Youth and Culture Complex in Shah Alam, bringing an abrupt end to the forum.
Mahathir was answering a question on the Memali tragedy at the forum, when a slipper was suddenly hurled at him. The former prime minister was not hit by the slipper or injured in the incident.