1 July, 2008
Anwar says he was about to announce by-election, defections
By Carolyn Hong, The Straits Times
De facto leader of the Malaysian Opposition, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim leaves the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur after the government gave assurance of his safety on Tuesday. The ex-DPM of Malaysia is facing a sodomy accusation, similar to the one he faced in 1998. -- PHOTO: AFP
MALAYSIAN opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim emerged from the Turkish Embassy, where he had taken refuge on Sunday, and told reporters that his plans had been derailed by allegations of a sex scandal.
He said that he had been ready to announce plans to contest a parliamentary by-election, and that four lawmakers from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition would defect to his alliance today.
'Well, I can't announce now,' he said yesterday evening. 'This is derailed temporarily.'
His plans changed abruptly after a male aide, 23-year-old Saiful Bukhari Azlan, told police on Saturday that he had been sodomised against his will by Mr Anwar.
Mr Anwar, 60, denied it before he fled to the embassy, citing fears for his safety and saying he had received death threats.
Yesterday he filed a defamation suit against Mr Saiful.
Mr Anwar told The Straits Times that he agreed to leave the embassy after receiving government assurances of his safety.
He also said the new sex allegation, a repeat of what he had faced in 1998, was aimed at keeping him out of Parliament.
'It is precisely because of this that they have created this mess. They will keep me very busy in the coming days on this case,' he said.
The opposition also demanded an investigation into whether Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was linked to Mr Saiful, because there was a photograph showing the young man with Mr Najib's special officer at the Deputy Premier's office.
Mr Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Ismail, who leads his Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said they had reason to believe that Mr Saiful was close to Mr Najib's aide.
Mr Anwar became eligible for elections in April after the expiry of a ban arising from his conviction for corruption in 1999.
The sex scandal comes just as his alliance has been threatening to make a grab for power, with defectors from the Barisan Nasional.
It recalled the events of 1998 when Mr Anwar was accused of sodomy. He was later cleared of the charge.
Riot police were on standby at the Turkish Embassy and outside Parliament yesterday but there were no incidents.
Mr Anwar said yesterday that he was not giving up his plans to take power.
His alliance is standing by him. All three parties - Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), and the Democratic Action Party - urged Malaysians not to be taken in by the accusation.
PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said the sex allegation was a wicked conspiracy to destroy Mr Anwar's reputation and distract Malaysians from the crisis of spiralling inflation.
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