Anwar backers rally in Malaysia's town

Anwar backers rally in Malaysia's town

ALOR STAR, Malaysia (AFP): Thousands of people attended an opposition rally in Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's hometown as his ex-deputy Anwar Ibrahim awaited the verdict in his corruption trial.

Amid a downpour late Thursday up to 20,000 people sat in a muddy field to hear speakers led by Anwar's wife Azizah Ismail in a village in Alor Star, capital of the northern state of Kedah, witnesses said.

"I am trying to brace my children for a possible conviction," she told the rally.

A verdict is expected on April 6. Anwar is charged with four counts of corruption for allegedly trying to influence a police investigation into charges of sexual misconduct.

The rally was staged by the opposition Parti Islam Semalaysia (PAS) in response to a Mahathir-led gathering in Alor Star last week. The Mahathir rally lambasted the PAS and political opponents, in a veiled attack on Anwar, accusing them of being manipulated by foreign powers.

Azizah denied allegations that her new organization, the Social Justice Movement (ADIL), was being used by PAS to garner support.

"We are not being used by anybody. We work with anyone who champions justice, good governance, transparency and accountability," she said.

Mahathir, 73, had launched an offensive against PAS, whose members have taken part in opposition protests since Anwar was sacked and detained in September after falling out with Mahathir.

The prime minister also took the party to task over a number of issues, especially its alleged call for women to stay home.

Chandra Muzaffar, president of an activist group, the International Movement for a Just World, hit out at Mahathir at Thursday's rally for allegedly putting fear in the minds of people.

"Mahathir is responsible for instilling a culture of fear in the Malaysian people and this has resulted in people fearing to voice their opinions," he said.

PAS president Fadzil Noor also hit back at Mahathir, saying: "It's enough, stop fooling 22 million Malaysians."

Fadzil, whose party governs the northern state of Kelantan, said that unlike people who attended Mahathir's gathering, those who came for the PAS rally were not forced or threatened to do so.

"They had to go and pick people from villages and threaten civil servants with disciplinary action to fill the stadium," he charged.

Fadzil also countered allegations that PAS wanted to prohibit women from working, and blamed inaccurate reporting by local media.