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.