Malaysian politics now at a watershed<\/p>\n
By Nelson Graves<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): A retired army officer says he no
\nlonger ventures outside at night in Malaysia's capital because he
\nfears civil unrest.<\/p>\n
Kuala Lumpur is hardly under siege, but the officer's anxiety
\nreflects the political sea change under way in a country known
\nmore for gentle people than riot police.<\/p>\n
A no-holds-barred struggle between Prime Minister Mahathir
\nMohamad and his former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, has put
\nunprecedented strains on the body politic, diplomats and analysts
\nsay.<\/p>\n
\"This is undoubtedly a watershed in Malaysian politics,\"
\nChandra Muzaffar, a professor at the University of Malaya, said.
\n\"I don't think we've had anything like this before.\"<\/p>\n
Mahathir, 72, retains his grip on the levers of power after 17
\nyears as prime minister.<\/p>\n
Leaders of his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) have
\nstood solidly behind Mahathir, supporting him at every turn as
\nAnwar was sacked, expelled from UMNO and arrested.<\/p>\n
But Mahathir, who on Sept. 3 said he had no immediate need for
\na new deputy, has now changed his mind, stirring inevitable
\nquestions about an eventual transfer of power.<\/p>\n
\"I can't wait any longer because if anything happens to me, he
\n(the deputy) would be prime minister of this country,\" Mahathir
\nsaid on Wednesday, telling local reporters that he now wanted
\nUMNO to consider choosing a new deputy leader.<\/p>\n
Mahathir, who underwent a by-pass operation after a heart
\nattack in 1989, said he could \"drop dead\" at any time. \"I know
\nthis, having had one heart attack before,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There was no knowing whether Mahathir, who has repeatedly
\ncautioned against \"Indonesian-style riots\", had turned his own
\nsights to a transfer of power now that thousands of citizens have
\ntaken to the streets denouncing him.<\/p>\n
But public anxiety was rising in line with the extraordinary
\nstruggle between Mahathir and Anwar that has spawned a string of
\ncourt cases and brought protesters onto the streets.<\/p>\n
Mahathir's administration did win some credit for producing
\nAnwar in court this week and pressing criminal charges.<\/p>\n
Anwar was still being detained under the Internal Security
\nAct, but now had the prospect of an open trial where he could
\ndefend himself.<\/p>\n
\"This is a positive step because he has been produced and
\ncharged under criminal statutes,\" a Western diplomat said. \"It
\nreflects marginal transparency.\"<\/p>\n
But Anwar's statement that he had been beaten by police
\nprovoked a firestorm of criticism from rights groups, opposition
\nparties and foreign governments.<\/p>\n
Holes emerging in the government's case against Anwar looked
\nsure to erode confidence in the state, analysts said.<\/p>\n
Two men who had pleaded guilty to being sodomized by Anwar
\nwere prepared to retract their pleas. That could undermine the
\ngovernment's allegations that the former deputy prime minister
\nwas morally unfit.<\/p>\n
None of the five corruption charges against Anwar alleged that
\nhe had amassed wealth. Instead, four of the charges said he had
\npressed police to obtain confessions from people denying sodomy
\nwith him.<\/p>\n
The fifth corruption charge alleged that he had interfered
\nwith an investigation into suspected corruption by an aide.<\/p>\n
\"People are dismayed that a number of institutions have been
\nundermined -- the media, judiciary and police,\" said one analyst
\nwho asked not be identified.<\/p>\n
Chandra said: \"The Malaysian people are very, very depressed.
\nThere is a concern about the institutions -- the judiciary,
\nattorney general and police. How are we going to emerge from this
\nepisode?\"<\/p>\n
He said Mahathir still had total control over the cabinet and
\nparliament.<\/p>\n
\"But popular sentiment is something else. In a democracy, you
\ncannot rule with institutions of coercion. There must be a moral
\nbasis to your power. There has been an erosion of moral
\nlegitimacy.\"<\/p>\n
A Western diplomat said: \"There is a serious fear that this
\ncould escalate out of control.\"<\/p>",
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