Keadilan party sticks to its gun on gathering

Keadilan party sticks to its gun on gathering

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): A Malaysian opposition party said on Monday it would go ahead with a mass gathering to mark the first anniversary of Anwar Ibrahim's sentencing despite government and police warnings.

Chandra Muzaffar, deputy president of the National Justice Party (Keadilan) headed by the wife of the sacked deputy premier, said the "peaceful gathering" would be held at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur this Saturday.

But Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned that police would take "firm action" as organizers had not obtained a police permit.

"If they want to go ahead with the gathering with other intentions and if fights break out, this is not good for society. When there is a fight involving many people, it will certainly turn into a riot," he said.

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung said Keadilan's application for a permit was rejected as it could not fulfill certain conditions, such as give a guarantee that public peace and security would be protected.

The organizers also sent in their application late, Chor was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday said Keadilan was planning a riot and predicted that its supporters would carry weapons and petrol bombs.

City police chief Kamarudin Mohamad Ali has also warned people against taking part in an illegal gathering and said organizers could be arrested or charged under the Sedition Act.

Authorities have wide powers to ban unauthorized gatherings. Police used water cannon and tear gas to quell street disturbances after Anwar was sentenced to six years' jail on April 14, 1999, and to break up a protest last September at the national mosque following claims that Anwar had been poisoned while in jail.

Chandra described the riot predictions as a "mischievous lie." He said it was "not inconceivable" that agent provocateurs linked to the state might be planning to make trouble to discredit the opposition.

Mahathir's comments might be aimed at frightening people away from the gathering, he said.

Party youth wing executive secretary Muhammad Zahid Arip described Mahathir's claim of planned riots as "slander."

Zahid said some 5,000 to 7,000 supporters would gather. But a planned march to the national palace to submit a memorandum to the king on Anwar's conviction and other issues might be called off.

The youth wing would meet police to ensure there would be no trouble, he said.

Rights group Suaram also protested Mahathir's claim, saying it was seen as a signal for police to "come down hard on those who demand reform."

Suaram said the people's right to assemble was guaranteed under the constitution.

Anwar was convicted of abusing his powers to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct. He is now on trial for sodomy, punishable by up to 20 years.

He said he was framed by high-level politicians because he threatened to expose government corruption and was seen as a political threat to Mahathir.

Anwar's close aide, meanwhile testified on Monday that he was in Europe with the former deputy prime minister on many of the dates Anwar was alleged to have sodomized his former family driver.

Holding up his passport, Mohamad Azmin Ali, who was Anwar's private secretary for nearly a decade, said Anwar visited England, France and Germany during a business trip in February 1993.

Defense attorneys told the High Court that Mohamad Azmin's testimony refuted the charge that Anwar sodomized Azizan Abu Bakar one evening between January to March 1993.

Judge Ariffin Jaka later postponed a hearing on whether Mahathir's testimony was required in the case until Wednesday to allow Mohamad Azmin to finish his testimony.