2004, Anwar thanked Badawi, the PM - and in 2008, ...

After Anwar Ibrahim was released by the Federal Court on 2 September 2004, he thanked Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for his release..

Talking to TIME later, Anwar again expressed his gratitude for the upholding of his appeal, but this time he thanked not the judges but Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's Prime Minister. "Knowing the way the institutions have been controlled by the executive," he said, "I don't think a release would have been possible unless the Prime Minister had made it clear he had no intention of interfering [with the judiciary]." - TIME, 6/9/2004 - Time For Healing [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,692961-1,00.html]

But today, less than 4 years later, in August 2008, the reverse is happening...

Anwar Ibrahim today launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and held him responsible for his imminent sodomy charge.

MCPX

This is the first time that the PKR leader has targeted Abdullah. In the past, his attacks were focused on Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Calling it a sham trial, he blamed the prime minister - whom he described as dealing with a crisis of confidence - for allegedly orchestrating the trial to protect himself.

"I have sufficient evidence to show that the decision (to charge) will not be done without the personal instruction from the prime minister," he claimed.

....

He claimed that his sources in the Attorney-General’s Chambers told him that the office was against preferring any charge against him.

However, he said the police and Abdullah’s close associates were allegedly keen on pursuing with the trial.

"We are informed that some individuals within the prime minister's close circles are adamant about pursuing the case.

"Their involvement further undermines the credibility of the case and proves that the entire conspiracy hatched against me is politically motivated," he said. - Malaysiakini, 6/8/2008 'PM blamed for another 'sham trial'