Rights, political activists slam Anwar's sacking<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): After a day of stunned silence, dozens of
\nhuman rights and political activists began denouncing Malaysia's
\nprime minister on Friday for sacking his deputy.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad fired Anwar Ibrahim from his
\nposts of deputy prime minister and finance minister Wednesday
\nafter months of pitched political infighting.<\/p>\n
Anwar was then dumped as vice president of the ruling United
\nMalays National Organization (UMNO) early Friday.<\/p>\n
\"The action illustrates the arrogance of the prime minister
\nwho has completely disregarded fairness, due process and
\npolitical accountability to the public,\" said Tian Chua, a
\nspokesman for local human rights group SUARAM.<\/p>\n
The hugely popular Moslem Youth Movement of Malaysia, founded
\nby Anwar in his student days, has also rallied behind their
\ndeposed leader, who faces allegations of sexual misconduct and
\nleaking state secrets.<\/p>\n
\"This is hypocrisy,\" said Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, president
\nof the youth group, a position occupied by Anwar for years until
\nhe joined Mahathir's ruling party.<\/p>\n
\"In the course of accusing America and her allies for
\narrogance and high-handedness in ganging up on their avowed
\nenemies, our own political leaders are exactly doing the same
\nthing.\"<\/p>\n
Dozens of human rights groups and opposition parties,
\nincluding Amnesty International, the opposition Democratic Action
\nParty and Malaysian Trade Unions Congress, issued a joint
\nstatement voicing their protest.<\/p>\n
\"The total lack of transparency in this episode is a
\nreflection of the utter contempt and disregard that the prime
\nminister has for the views of the people of the country,\" the
\nstatement said.<\/p>\n
One of the signatories, Syed Husin Ali, president of the
\nMalaysian People's Party, said Anwar's ignominious dismissal
\nwould throttle Malaysia's attempt to pull itself out of full-
\nblown recession.<\/p>\n
\"In fact, it can cause deeper economic and political crisis,
\nmore serious than what has been experienced by this country in
\nits short history since independence\" from Britain in 1957, said
\nSyed Husin.<\/p>\n
\"Once again, it has exposed Dr. Mahathir's true self as an
\nauthoritarian or even dictatorial leader.\"<\/p>\n
Despite the surging dissent from such groups, hundreds more
\nCabinet ministers and senior government officials in the
\nSoutheast Asian nation have chimed in their unwavering support
\nfor Mahathir's \"difficult\" decision.<\/p>\n
\"Let's give the prime minister our full trust and remain
\nsolidly behind him,\" advised Education Minister Najib Tun Razak.
\nMahathir, after Anwar was expelled from UMNO, said he was
\n\"saddened\" by the unfolding events.<\/p>\n
\"I wish it hadn't happened, not at this point,\" he said. \"But
\nthese things have gone out of my control.\"<\/p>",
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