Anwar demands PM Mahathir's resignation

Anwar demands PM Mahathir's resignation

KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia (Agencies): Ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim called on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Friday to step down and said his wife would lead his reform movement if he were arrested.

"Mahathir should resign as prime minister. I officially ask Dr. Mahathir to step down," Anwar told a cheering crowd of about 10,000 in Kuala Ibai, some five kilometers south of the east coast city of Kuala Terengganu.

"Do the people support this?," he yelled to the crowd.

"We do," hundreds replied.

About 15 police officers, who had earlier barred Anwar from speaking in front of a mosque, stood by, but did not act.

Speaking after Friday prayers, the former finance minister told the crowd assembled at the Tengku Tengah Zaharah mosque that Mahathir would have to "bear the consequences" if he remained in power after 17 years.

"I know Mahathir. There was no-one closer to Mahathir than me. I met him every morning. I guarantee he will not step down. He will only step down when the people demand reforms," he said.

"If I am arrested, my wife Wan Azizah will take over," said Anwar, who invited his wife up to the stage. "She's ready to carry on with the reforms."

Anwar accused Mahathir of harassing his family and friends with the detentions of a brother, a speech writer and two private secretaries.

"Tomorrow, people will be angry with you. You are already 73 years old. I can forgive you and your friends but the people cannot.

"I appeal to you to respect the law. If you don't want to listen, you will have to bear the consequences. A prime minister who is fair will be supported but a prime minister who is cruel will be opposed," he added.

Anwar, who is 51 years old, was speaking on the latest leg of a national tour which was to move later Friday to the neighboring state of Kelantan, the only state controlled by the opposition Islamic party.

Mahathir fired his former protege on Sept. 2 amid police allegations ranging from sexual misconduct to sedition. Anwar says the allegations are all part of a high-level conspiracy to bring him down.

Five associates have been arrested as part of the police investigation against Anwar on allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse of power, interfering in a police probe and leaking state secrets.

Anwar has denied the charges and said authorities are embarrassed to detain him during the Commonwealth Games, which end Sept. 21 and the visit of Queen Elizabeth II, which ends Sept. 23.

He told the beach crowd that on Sunday, the day the queen arrives, he would speak in Merdeka Square in the center of the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

How much longer the authorities will tolerate Anwar's challenge is a top question on the streets.

Najib Tun Razak, vice president of the ruling United Malays National organization, said on Thursday that Anwar's nationwide campaign, calling for reform, "could create chaos and spark a revolution, which would eventually lead to anarchy in the country."

Mahathir has responded almost mildly in public. In comments published in Friday's papers, he challenged Anwar to prove his innocence, and criticized Anwar's attacks on the judiciary as a ploy to claim unfair trial later.

"Produce the evidence if there is evidence," Mahathir was quoted as saying in Friday's Star newspaper.

Police have said they would press charges against Anwar if he speaks without a police permit. His increasingly personal references to Mahathir in speeches over the past three days appear to some observers to be almost daring arrest.

"I didn't challenge him," said Anwar, who claims he was fired because he was the best political alternative to Mahathir. "I feared opposing him," Anwar said. "But now I'm battling him."

"What has he done for the downtrodden?" Anwar said of Mahathir, mocking the prime minister's pride in building the world's tallest building and other mega-projects.

Anwar called on police to be fair in their investigation of himself, his family and his friends, to see if they are corrupt. But police must do the same with Mahathir, his sons and his family, Anwar said.

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