KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim revealed plans Wednesday (23 July) to contest an "imminent" by-election to enable him to return to Parliament and become prime minister if the opposition seizes power.
Anwar has pledged that his three-party opposition alliance will topple Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration through parliamentary defections by mid-September. Many government officials have dismissed it as an empty threat.
Anwar must become a member of Parliament before he can replace Abdullah as prime minister. He told reporters Wednesday that he was discussing plans with his allies "on the possibility of an imminent by-election."
The former deputy prime minister indicated that one of his party lawmakers might give up a parliamentary seat in a northern state to enable Anwar to run in a by-election.
Anwar reiterated that he wanted to announce his candidacy in a by-election late last month, but he claimed the plan was derailed after a male aide accused Anwar of sodomizing him _ the second time in a decade that such an allegation has threatened Anwar's political career.
Anwar insists the accusation was concocted to stem his threat to the government, which has been reeling from unprecedented losses in March general elections. The government has denied any conspiracy and assured Anwar that police would conduct a fair investigation.
Anwar's alliance needs defections by at least 30 lawmakers in the ruling coalition to form the majority in the 222-member Parliament _ a goal that Anwar claimed Wednesday was "very much on track" to be achieved by mid-September.
"I know you are eager. So am I," Anwar said. "People are tired of the political turmoil."
Anwar was ousted from the government in 1998 and arrested on corruption and sodomy charges. He was convicted of both charges _ which he denied _ and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was freed in 2004 after Malaysia's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction. (AP)
source: My SinChew
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