Anwar urges supporters to protest
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has called on his supporters to protest against what he has called a "conspiracy" against him.
He told the BBC the authorities were waging a campaign of fabrication aimed at ending his political comeback. He faces fresh accusations of sodomy from a former aide. The government denies any involvement in the claims. Mr Anwar has promised to fight back, filing complaints against the police chief and attorney general. 'Provoking unrest' Mr Anwar had appeared a spent political force before his three-party opposition alliance made a strong showing in March polls.
He now accuses the government of "fabricating" a campaign against him.
"The government is provoking unrest, because it [the alleged sodomy] did not happen, so there is a conspiracy," he said in an interview with the BBC. "Why? Because they are desperate. We will not allow and give them that pretext to declare a state of emergency. "For now we say, 'Protest by all means'," he added, urging supporters to use stadiums or other public spaces.
Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, punishable by 20 years' imprisonment, and Mr Anwar took refuge in the Turkish embassy over the weekend, claiming that the allegations put his life in danger.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has strongly denied any involvement in the new accusations. Complaints filed Once the deputy and presumed successor to former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Mr Anwar was sacked to face charges of sexual misconduct in 1998 and went on to serve six years in jail for sodomy and corruption. The sodomy count was later overturned, and a ban on public office relating to the corruption conviction expired in April.
"The government is provoking unrest, because it [the alleged sodomy] did not happen, so there is a conspiracy," he said in an interview with the BBC. "Why? Because they are desperate. We will not allow and give them that pretext to declare a state of emergency. "For now we say, 'Protest by all means'," he added, urging supporters to use stadiums or other public spaces.
Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia, punishable by 20 years' imprisonment, and Mr Anwar took refuge in the Turkish embassy over the weekend, claiming that the allegations put his life in danger.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has strongly denied any involvement in the new accusations. Complaints filed Once the deputy and presumed successor to former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Mr Anwar was sacked to face charges of sexual misconduct in 1998 and went on to serve six years in jail for sodomy and corruption. The sodomy count was later overturned, and a ban on public office relating to the corruption conviction expired in April.
In an earlier news conference, Mr Anwar said he had planned to announce that he was to contest a parliamentary seat in a forthcoming by-election but had temporarily delayed the move. He has filed complaints against the police chief Musa Hassan and attorney general Abdul Gani Patail over his trial for sodomy in 1998. He accuses the two men - then respectively the police investigating officer and prosecutor - of faking evidence against him.
READ MORE IN BBC NEWS? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7482931.stm
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