Malaysia's Anwar saga continues to haunt Mahathir
KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (AFP) - Despite being behind bars, ex-deputy
premier Anwar Ibrahim continues to haunt Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad, as his supporters mounted anti-government protests over the
weekend despite a police clampdown.
Diplomats and opposition leaders said the jailed Anwar remained a
potential threat to Mahathir and his regime, although a ruling party
official strongly rejected the claims.
Police Saturday used water cannons and teargas to break up sporadic
demonstrations by Anwar supporters in the city centre to mark the first
anniversary of his sentencing, the first time in seven months
authorities have done so.
The heavy security presence foiled plans for a mass rally and a march on
the palace to submit a memorandum on Anwar's case to the king.
"Anwar certainly re! mains on the mind of Mahathir. Unlike Mahathir's
previous deputies, Anwar has charisma and the ability to garner
grassroot support," one Western diplomat told AFP.
While Mahathir, 74, is firmly in control, the diplomat said Anwar's
defiant attitude irked the premier.
"I think Anwar is a potential force when released from jail," he said.
Anwar, 52, was sacked by Mahathir as deputy premier and finance minister
in September 1998 and detained later that month under a security act for
leading mass anti-government rallies.
He was sentenced to six years in jail last April for abusing his power
to cover-up allegations of sexual misconduct and is now on trial for
sodomy.
Anwar says he is the victim of a high-level conspiracy because he
intended to expose corruption and was seen as a political threat to the
premier.
The diplomat said the massive show of force Saturday could have been due
to a "sense of insecurity" i! n Mahathir's United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO), which saw its support base eroded in November's
general election.
UMNO lost 22 parliamentary seats to opposition parties, mainly the
resurgent Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), after Anwar's treatment split
the ethnic Malay community.
With less than a month to the UMNO general assembly to elect top
leaders, one Asian diplomat said authorities may be aiming to show they
are fully in control.
"The Anwar saga remains a concern to Mahathir and his allies because the
Malay community remains unhappy with UMNO," he said.
But UMNO Supreme Council member Ibrahim Ali said Anwar did not pose a
threat to the government or the ruling party.
"The Anwar saga will be dead and gone by the time we have the next
election some time in 2004-2005," he said.
UMNO will hold its triennial party election on May 11. Mahathir has been
assured of the party presidency and his preferr! ed successor, deputy
premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, will be selected deputy president.
The president and deputy president of UMNO are traditionally made the
country's premier and deputy premier.
Chandra Muzaffar, deputy president of the National Justice Party
(Keadilan) headed by Anwar's wife, described the "heavy-handed tactic"
by police as a "concerted attempt to marginalise Anwar."
He said the clampdown was also part of a "continuing pattern to tighten
the screw" on opposition parties following the erosion of support for
the ruling coalition in November's polls.
Tian Chua, Keadilan vice-president, said Anwar's determination to fight
for reforms despite being behind bars continued to haunt Mahathir.
"I think that anything that is associated with Anwar, they will come
down hard. Mahathir is paranoid about it. They are finding ways to
arrest more Keadilan leaders," he said.
Tian was arrested by police Sunday ! shortly after his press conference.
Police Friday detained three Keadilan leaders and are seeking another
three. They arrested 48 people during Saturday's protests.
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