Former aide of Anwar calls for ouster of Mahathir
Former aide of Anwar calls for ouster of Mahathir
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): A former aide to sacked Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim returned here on Sunday after six months of self-imposed exile, calling for a new political movement to topple Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Following a meeting with Anwar's wife Azizah Ismail, Mohamad Ezam Noor told a news conference he was waiting for the nod from the ousted deputy premier to form a new party to topple Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in general elections.
"It is not just our dream but the dream of most other Malaysians to oust (Mahathir)," Anwar's former political secretary said.
"We will pursue our dream," he added, saying he would also join Anwar's wife in her newly-formed social group ADIL to fight for justice.
Ezam fled Malaysia with three other Anwar associates following the former deputy leader's sacking and arrest in September. He has been drumming up support for him in various southeast Asian countries.
He flew in from Singapore and was greeted at Kuala Lumpur's airport by some 300 Anwar's supporters, who briefly chanted "Reformasi," the rallying call for reform here.
Anwar's wife told reporters a political party formed by her husband, now on trial for four corruption charges, would be a "serious alternative" to Mahathir's running National Front coalition.
"I think the National Front views us seriously," said Azizah, who is considering challenging Mahathir in his parliamentary seat in northern Kedah state.
Azizah said she was not disappointed with election results in eastern Sabah state, where the National Front was returned to power Saturday.
"Why should I be disappointed? With the amount of machinery and money poured in, it is surprising that they did not get more seats."
Ezam, meanwhile, said he would cooperate with police who had told him he must report to them within three days.
Although he is not facing any charges in Malaysia, he has been accused of being one of the organizers of a pro-Anwar demonstration against Mahathir in late October last year.
In a statement issued from Singapore earlier, Ezam said his meetings with various Malaysian political and social leaders showed many Malaysians were ready to create "a new political culture."
"(The people) see him as one who must lead in galvanizing this new spirit," he said.
"I believe Anwar will consider the wish and demand of the Malaysian people to lead a new political party," he told AFP in an interview from Singapore.
Anwar is on trial on four corruption charges over allegations he used his position to get police to cover up sexual allegations against him. He faces another charge of corruption and five counts of sodomy, an offense in Malaysia.
On Sunday, Mahathir's ruling coalition celebrated a crucial victory in Sabah state elections and dismissed opposition claims that it had cheated.
Mahathir's triumph in the election suggests that the man who has run Malaysia for 18 years still has a firm grip on power.
"I'm ecstatic, we had a clear victory," Mahathir said after two days of voting ended Saturday. When reporters asked the beaming prime minister if the victory showed he was still popular, he said: "To a certain extent, yes."
The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), led by Mahathir's arch-rival Joseph Pairin Kitingan, alleged the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) used "phantom voters" and money politics to win the two-day elections, which ended on Saturday.
Mahathir's alliance, which won 31 seats of the 48-seat Sabah assembly against PBS' 17 and will rule for a five-year term, denied the allegations.
Pairin said the BN had registered thousands of illegal immigrants as Sabah citizens for voting purposes this year.