Malaysia's Anwar vows to seize power as soon as he fights sodomy

The Associated Press ,  Kuala Lumpur   |  Wed, 07/02/2008 4:40 PM

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to seize power soon, stepping up his campaign against the government as he fights back an accusation of sodomizing a young worker in his office.

Addressing some 7,000 people on Tuesday night, Anwar accused the ruling National Front coalition government of being corrupt, inefficient and uncaring. He promised to set right the problems
plaguing the country, including bringing down fuel prices, which were raised by a whopping 41 percent to 63 percent last month.

The opposition will "rule in a short while" and "the next day we will lower the price of oil," he said to loud cheers in his first public meeting since he was hit by the sodomy accusation last
week.

Police are investigating the allegation by a 23-year-old male aide. Anwar, 60, who is married with six children, says he is a victim of a conspiracy by a desperate government clinging to power.

Sodomy, even if consensual, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

The government has denied any hand in the claim.

Anwar was fired as deputy prime minister in 1998 when he was faced with a similar sodomy accusation, and spent six years in prison until Malaysia's highest court overturned the charge in 2004. While in custody, he was beaten by police and suffered from arsenic poisoning.

"I went to prison once and was beaten half to death. Do you think I will remain silent now? We will fight!" he said, adding that his accuser was being manipulated by a top politician in the
government.

Anwar led a three-party opposition coalition to spectacular gains in March 8 general elections, which reduced the National Front's strength to 140 seats for a thin 30-seat majority in the 222-member Parliament. Anwar has sid he will be able to pull 30 lawmakers to his side by mid-September.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also under pressure from some of his own party members to step down.

"The National Front is in turmoil, with enemies from within and attacks from outside," Anwar said. "If the elections had een free and fair, the opposition would be in power, not the National Front."

The National Front has run the government since independence in 1957, and an opposition leadership was unthinkable until this year. Its massive gains are a reflection not only of Anwar's charisma and strategic skills but alo of the growing disenchantment with the National Front among the majority ethnic Malays.

Most of those at Anwar's rally were Malays, who heard him talk about subjects that touch their daily lives, including inflation which is expected to top 5 percent this year following the hike in
fuel prices.

"Prices of everything are soaring. We cannot leave the situation to these people. We say now, no more chances, time is up, you get out!" Anwar said.

He accused the National Front leaders of prioritizing "their own stomachs, their children and children-in-law, their families. They want to get full, while the people suffer."

The political uncertainty because of Anwar's campaign and the government's weakness has hit the stock market hard.

The Composite Index was down 1.69 percent at 1,154.96 points at midday Wednesday - dipping below the 1,157 points that it fell to on March 10 after the general elections. (***)

 

 

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