KL stops Anwar supporters from marking birthday

KL stops Anwar supporters from marking birthday

SUNGAI BULOH, Malaysia (Agencies): Malaysian police on Sunday blocked supporters of jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim from gathering outside the prison to mark his third birthday spent behind bars.

Scores of policemen, backed by a water cannon truck, stood guard outside the Sungai Buloh prison where Anwar -- who turned 54 Friday -- is serving a total 15 years for sodomy and abuse of power.

Roads leading to the prison, some 40 kilometers (24 miles) outside Kuala Lumpur, have been cordoned off since early Sunday and a police helicopter scoured the area.

Some 200 supporters later gathered by a roadside nearly 10 kilometers away from the prison, holding banners and chanting "Reformasi" -- Anwar's rallying cry since he was sacked and detained in 1998.

"Happy Birthday Anwar. God bless you, the fight must go on," according to a banner. They cut a birthday cake but fled when riot police arrived at the scene.

Anwar's wife, Azizah Ismail, criticized police for the excessive operation.

"It is an innocuous thing, a birthday, no relation whatsoever to violence. I think it is a little overdone," she told reporters after visiting her husband.

Anwar urged his supporters on Sunday to keep up the fight for political reform in Malaysia as police stopped hundreds of people from gathering outside the ex-deputy premier's prison to celebrate his birthday.

"The struggle must continue, must go on, must escalate, even with all the pressure, restrictions and oppression, we have to recruit and maintain and strengthen our resolve," he said in a message delivered to his supporters through his wife.

Police detained an unidentified man, who is in his 40s, for ignoring orders to disperse, district police chief Sheikh Mustafa Sheikh Ahmad was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Sheikh Mustafa defended the police operation involving some 150 personnels, saying they had to take action to prevent the illegal gathering.

Azizah, her five daughters and her father earlier saw Anwar for about 45 minutes but were only allowed direct contact with him for the last 15 minutes after earlier speaking with him through a glass screen.

"My daughter made him a cheesecake. It was a small sort of family get-together. We sang some oldies songs, wished him a happy birthday and before that, we had our prayers," she said.

"He thanked the supporters for risking the high-security just to come and wish him but he maintained that the struggle must continue.

She said her husband, who is suffering from a back injury, was in a wheelchair and wearing a neck collar and back brace.

He was in a "bit of pain" and side effect from painkillers had caused swelling on his hands and feet, she said, adding that he was scheduled to undergo some medical tests on Monday.

Anwar, who was diagnosed with a slipped disc last November and spent several months in hospital before being taken back to prison, has insisted that he undergoes spinal surgery overseas.

But Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said his decision to refuse his former deputy an overseas operation is final.

Malaysia's Human Rights Commission has lent support to a long campaign waged by Anwar's family and supporters for him to have surgery in Germany.

Anwar, who has become the symbol of opposition to Mahathir, says he was framed to avert a political challenge to the premier who has ruled Malaysia for two decades. The government denied the allegation.

In a related development, Malaysia has banned the sale of video compact discs (VCDs) containing recordings of political speeches by opposition leaders, a report said on Sunday.

Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung warned the government would take stern action against those producing and selling VCDs and cassette tapes with a political content, the Sunday Star said.

Chor said enforcement authorities recently seized hundreds of such VCDs in Kuala Lumpur and many of the recorded speeches made at opposition rallies were found to be spreading lies against the government.

The government has previously been lenient by only seizing the VCDs and tapes but "we will now bring them to court," he added.