Malaysian opposition leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on July 21 vowed to topple the prime minister despite what he called attempts to “demonise and intimidate” him. He said allegations of sodomy levelled by a 23-year-old male aide showed he posed a threat to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s National Front coalition. “We are on track to take over the government. We want to pursue this agenda for reform,” Anwar told reporters. “Clearly, I am a political threat.”
Anwar’s Keadilan party aims to establish a new coalition government by the end of the year, its information chief reportedly said. “We are confident a change of government will happen by year-end,” said Tian Chua. A return to parliament would be the next step in the political rehabilitation of Anwar, who was sacked as deputy premier in 1998 and jailed on sodomy and corruption charges. The sex conviction was later overturned, but the corruption count barred him from public office until April. Fired up by Anwar’s charismatic presence, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance made unprecedented gains in March general elections, leaving it just 30 seats short of ousting the ruling coalition.
Anwar has accused Musa Hassan and attorney general Abdul Gani Patail of manipulating evidence in an investigation into an alleged beating he received while in police custody ten years ago. Anwar welcomed the lawsuit, saying he was prepared to face Musa in court. “I will deal with this in court. I am happy to take him to court,” Anwar told reporters after giving a statement to prosecutors.