WORRIED: Saiful (center) showing his police report

KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the main witness in the ongoing sodomy trial of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, lodged a police report this afternoon, claiming that he received a death threat.

Saiful, who lodged the report at Sentul police headquarters here, was accompanied by his lawyer Zamry Idrus and father Azlan Mohd Lazim.

"Last night I received an email from an unknown individual informing me of a statement which had been posted on the Facebook fan-page of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in which there was a comment posted by an individual by the name of Anaz Zahari, which I consider a death threat," said Saiful.

He then proceeded to show reporters a photocopy of the Facebook fan-page with the alleged statement, written in Malay language, that said: "Anaz Zahari: kepada rakan rakan sekalian, sape sape yg mengenali ataupun berjumpa dgn saiful bukhari azlan di mana mana sahaja, anda diwajibkan membunuh beliau dgn apa cara sekalipun demi keamanan manusia sejagat..."

Translated, it reads: "To my friends, whoever knows or meets with Saiful Bukhari Azlan anywhere, it is compulsory for you to kill him using whatever means necessary for the peace of the human race...”

"I take this as a serious death threat towards me and I fear for my safety and my family's safety as this is not the first time I have received such threats," said Saiful, adding that there have been some disturbances at his house the last two days.

"Every time I leave my house, there are rotten fruits on my front porch,” he said.

Saiful also asked the public not to be too engrossed with the details of the trial and to exercise patience, and not to take matters into their own hands.

Meanwhile, Azlan told reporters at the police station that he received about 50 SMS over the past three days which were very provocative in nature. When asked whether this matter will be brought to the court’s attention, Zamry said: “Wait and see.”

Anwar was accused of sodomising Saiful, a former aide, at the Desa Damansara Condominium on June 26, 2008. The opposition leader denied the charge, the second such charge he has faced in 12 years.

In 1998, Anwar was charged with sodomy and corruption after he was sacked from the Cabinet and was later convicted and jailed for both offences. He was freed in September 2004 and resurrected his political career by winning back his Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election in 2008, which had been held in the interim by his wife.