Anwar saga continues to haunt PM Mahathir
Anwar saga continues to haunt PM Mahathir
By M.Jegathesan
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Despite being behind bars, ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim continues to haunt Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, as his supporters mounted anti-government protests over the weekend despite a police clampdown.
Diplomats and opposition leaders said the jailed Anwar remained a potential threat to Mahathir and his regime, although a ruling party official strongly rejected the claims.
Police last Saturday used water cannons and teargas to break up sporadic demonstrations by Anwar supporters in the city center to mark the first anniversary of his sentencing, the first time in seven months authorities have done so.
The heavy security presence foiled plans for a mass rally and a march on the palace to submit a memorandum on Anwar's case to the king.
"Anwar certainly remains on the mind of Mahathir. Unlike Mahathir's previous deputies, Anwar has charisma and the ability to garner grassroots support," one Western diplomat told AFP.
While Mahathir, 74, is firmly in control, the diplomat said Anwar's defiant attitude irked the premier.
"I think Anwar is a potential force when released from jail," he said.
Anwar, 52, was sacked by Mahathir as deputy premier and finance minister in September 1998 and detained later that month under a security act for leading mass anti-government rallies.
He was sentenced to six years in jail last April for abusing his power to cover-up allegations of sexual misconduct and is now on trial for sodomy.
Anwar says he is the victim of a high-level conspiracy because he intended to expose corruption and was seen as a political threat to the premier.
The diplomat said the massive show of force last Saturday could have been due to a "sense of insecurity" in Mahathir's United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which saw its support base eroded in November's general election.
UMNO lost 22 parliamentary seats to opposition parties, mainly the resurgent Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), after Anwar's treatment split the ethnic Malay community.
With less than a month to the UMNO general assembly to elect top leaders, one Asian diplomat said authorities may be aiming to show they are fully in control.
"The Anwar saga remains a concern to Mahathir and his allies because the Malay community remains unhappy with UMNO," he said.
But UMNO Supreme Council member Ibrahim Ali said Anwar did not pose a threat to the government or the ruling party.
"The Anwar saga will be dead and gone by the time we have the next election some time in 2004-2005," he said.
UMNO will hold its triennial party election on May 11. Mahathir has been assured of the party presidency and his preferred successor, deputy premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, will be selected deputy president.
The president and deputy president of UMNO are traditionally made the country's premier and deputy premier.
Chandra Muzaffar, deputy president of the National Justice Party (Keadilan) headed by Anwar's wife, described the "heavy- handed tactic" by police as a "concerted attempt to marginalise Anwar."
He said the clampdown was also part of a "continuing pattern to tighten the screw" on opposition parties following the erosion of support for the ruling coalition in November's polls.
Tian Chua, Keadilan vice-president, said Anwar's determination to fight for reforms despite being behind bars continued to haunt Mahathir.
"I think that anything that is associated with Anwar, they will come down hard. Mahathir is paranoid about it. They are finding ways to arrest more Keadilan leaders," he said.
Tian was arrested by police Sunday shortly after his press conference. Police last Friday detained three Keadilan leaders and are seeking another three. They arrested 48 people during last Saturday's protests.