Former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor yesterday denied attempting to cause grievous hurt to Anwar Ibrahim, after being charged in relation to an assault on the former deputy prime minister who was blindfolded and handcuffed in custody at the time. Anwar returns to court next week to face a count of sodomy at a hearing that is expected to provide a guide to prosecution plans for the six charges still pending against him following his corruption trial. Rahim Noor, who quit his job in January and had admitted in February to hitting Anwar, is the first former police chief in Malaysia to face criminal action. The September beating of Anwar, who was sentenced last week to six years in jail for corruption, triggered international outrage. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad came under international criticism last year when he said Anwar, who received a black eye in the beating, might have inflicted the injuries on himself. Dr Mahathir said yesterday that despite the indictment of Rahim Noor, both he and Malaysia would still be criticised by outsiders. 'Those who have made up their minds that this is a rotten country will continue to say so,' he said. Rahim Noor pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 3.5 years in jail and a fine set at the discretion of the court. His lawyer, K. Kumarendran, said a medical report on Anwar's injuries showed 'simple hurt', and the ex-police chief should be indicted under a lesser charge with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a M$2,000 (HK$4,120) fine. He said grievous hurt would have blinded or maimed Anwar, not given him a black eye. The judge allowed Rahim Noor to remain free without bail pending trial. The court was to meet on May 21 to consider trial dates. Anwar's conviction on four charges of corrupt practices led to speculation that the prosecution would not proceed with one remaining corruption count and five charges of sodomy. Analysts felt the Government would prefer not to subject its credibility to more criticism from the public in the wake of the damage done to its image by testimony of illegal police activities at the recent trial. But the disclosure by Anwar's lawyers yesterday that he would appear in the High Court on Tuesday on a sodomy charge seemed to indicate the prosecution was ready to proceed with at least one sodomy charge, although it was expected to ask for the trial to start at a later date. Sodomy is an offence in Malaysia carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years and a caning. The charge alleges that Anwar sodomised Azizan Abu Bakar, his driver, in May 1994.
