KL protests trip by Anwar's wife

KL protests trip by Anwar's wife

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia protested on Monday a planned visit by the wife of jailed former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim to the Philippines and warned Manila against interfering in Malaysian affairs.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said his ministry would summon the Philippine ambassador in Kuala Lumpur to object to Azizah Ismail's planned visit to Manila this week.

"I think this is a very serious matter and therefore I have asked my officials to call the Philippine ambassador to state our unease toward Wan Azizah's visit as president of a domestic party," the official Bernama news agency quoted Syed as saying.

Azizah, who recently formed a multiethnic opposition party, will visit Manila on Wednesday as a guest of the Rotary Club.

An aide to Azizah said she was expected to meet former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, who spearheaded opposition to dictator Ferdinand Marcos after the assassination of her husband Benigno.