Update Anwar Ibrahim : We don't know what the Govt will do next, says Syed Husin

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was arrested yesterday, was freed on police bail at 9.45am.After being released from police custody, he immediately headed back to his house in Bukit Segambut, Kuala Lumpur where he called a press conference at 2pm.


However, Anwar was not charged but will have to report back to the police in a month's time on Aug 18.

Earlier this morning, his lawyer Sankara Nair told reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters where Anwar was held overnight that the politician would be released by 1pm.

"I received a call from one of the investigation officers and they agreed to grant Anwar police bail," said Sankara who arrived at the police headquarters at 9am.

The lawyer went into the building after briefly speaking to about 50 journalists who were waiting outside. With Sankara is another lawyer, R Sivarasa, who is also PKR vice-president and Subang parliamentarian.

At 9.30am, Anwar's wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail accompanied by her daughters arrived in a car and they were seen going into the police headquarters.

A suspect can be freed from police custody under the police bail but will have to report back at a specified date where the police have the option to procure charges.

Severe back pain

Soon after the release, Sivarasa said Anwar had complained of back pain after spending the night on a "cold cement floor" last night.

"He was lying on a slab of cement the whole of last night in a cell and he needs emergency medical treatment," Sankara told AFP, adding that he required an injection to control the pain.

Anwar is currently resting at home while a horde of reporters, including the foreign media, are waiting outside. Earlier they saw the opposition leader being driven through the gates of his suburban home in a black four-wheel drive.

Since then, there has been an endless stream of visitors and well-wishers.

At about 10.45am, Wan Azizah and her eldest daughter Nurul Izzah - both of whom are parliamentarians - left the house for Parliament.

"My husband is in pain," the PKR president told reporters before leaving.

Anwar, a former deputy premier who seeking to mount a political comeback after being sacked and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges a decade ago, was arrested by balaclava-clad police commandos in dramatic scenes yesterday.

In exclusive photos taken by Chinese daily Nanyang Siang Pau, Anwar could be seen being ushered into a white 4WD by about six balaclava-clad police officers (left).

He has rejected the allegations levelled by 23-year-old former aide Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan as a conspiracy to prevent him from ousting the government, which was weakened by unprecedented losses in March elections.

His DNA samples provided before

Police commandos swooped on his vehicle as he approached his home on yesterday, an hour before he was due to appear voluntarily for interrogation.

He was taken to police headquarters and underwent a marathon six-hour questioning session before being taken to hospital for a medical examination, where his lawyers said he refused to give a DNA sample.

"We allowed a superficial medical exam but there was no DNA supplied. They already have Anwar's DNA samples from the last time," Sankara said.

Opposition leaders have hailed his release but said he should never have been arrested as he had already agreed to be questioned by police over the allegations.

"We are happy that he is released but we still maintain there is a conspiracy against him and we don't know what the government will do next," said PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali.

Anwar not given police report

Wan Azizah, who is Permatang Pauh MP, later spoke to reporters at the Parliament lobby about her husband's condition.

“He came back in pain, fatigue, and was very tired and we had asked a doctor to come and he was given an injection.

“He had nothing to sleep on last night. It was a cemented lock-up. I'd given him a towel, at least he had something to lie on.”

Wan Azizah revealed that the police had wanted to question Anwar further this morning.

“He has already given his statement (to the police), but this morning he said the police wanted to continue with the statement.

“This was not right - after he gave his statement (yesterday), he asked three times, 'Is it okay, it there anything else you want to know?'”

Wan Azizah also said Anwar was not given a copy of the police report made by his accuser, Saiful.

“We don't really know the full allegations. But the lawyers said, 'If they don't want us to give us, fine. Just read us what the contents are'

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