Anwar sworn in as lawmaker after poll victory

The Associated Press ,  Kuala Lumpur   |  Thu, 08/28/2008 10:14 AM  |  National

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim took his place Thursday as a member of Malaysia's Parliament, a major step in his goal to topple a government weakened by electoral defeats and internal dissent.

Anwar, dressed in dark blue traditional Malay shirt, pants and cap, was sworn in as a legislator in a simple ceremony in the main chamber of Parliament amid loud thumping of desks by opposition members.

The speaker, who administered the oath, formally declared Anwar the leader of the three-party opposition alliance. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and most Cabinet ministers were not present.

Anwar regained his parliamentary seat in the northern Penang state by a landslide in a by-election Tuesday in which only one district was contested. It came on the heels of big gains by the opposition in the March general elections that loosed the government's 51-year grip on power.

Anwar has said he aims to be the next prime minister after bringing down the government by Sept. 16 via defections from disaffected members of Abdullah's ruling coalition.

Significant hurdles, however, remain, the biggest of them a criminal charge that he sodomized a 23-year-old male aide, the second time in his career he has faced a sodomy accusation. No date has been set for the trial.

Under Malaysian law, even consensual sodomy is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.

Anwar has dismissed the accusation as a "most sickening" political conspiracy by the government to thwart his rise. A recent opinion poll appeared to endorse that view.

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