Malaysia warns soldiers<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Stern action will be taken against any
\nmilitary personnel found to be involved in the anti-government
\ndemonstrations, Defense Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Saturday.<\/p>\n
"If only one or two members are involved, there is no need to
\nblow it up. It is not a problem for us but we will investigate,"
\nthe minister was quoted as saying by the national news agency,
\nBernama.<\/p>\n
It was the first indication that some defense personnel were
\nsuspected to be involved in the campaign against Prime Minister
\nMahathir Mohamad, who has ruled Malaysia for 17 years.<\/p>\n
Unlike in many Southeast Asian nations, the military in
\nMalaysia has largely stayed away from politics and there has been
\nno threat of a military-backed coup.<\/p>\n
Protests erupted after Mahathir fired his deputy, Anwar
\nIbrahim, nearly two months ago. Anwar, 51, was subsequently
\narrested and has continued to challenge Mahathir's leadership
\nfrom jail.<\/p>\n
Anwar will be tried beginning Monday for 10 counts of
\ncorruption and sodomy, charges he denies. A full-scale riot broke
\nout for the first time in nearly three decades last Saturday,
\nafter police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse
\nprotesters from a mosque who hurled stones and bricks.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people have been detained and jailed in the two
\nmonths of protests.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaysia-warns-soldiers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}