Mahathir, Anwar trade barbs over jet purchase

Mahathir, Anwar trade barbs over jet purchase

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his ousted deputy Anwar Ibrahim engaged in a verbal joust on Thursday over a lavish jet purchase as high-profile APEC meetings began here.

On the ninth day of his corruption trial, Anwar alleged that Mahathir had ordered a jet costing 200 million ringgit (US$52.63 million) and accused him of violating a court ban on public comment of his case.

In a statement read out by his wife Azizah outside the court, he also said the cost of Mahathir's residence at a new government center exceeded 200 million ringgit, instead of the government's figure of 17.5 million.

"The people can see for themselves how the prime minister lives in his glittering palace and flies in his sophisticated executive jet," said Anwar, who prepared the statement from his cell.

But Mahathir hit back, saying the jetplane purchase was approved by Anwar three years ago when he was finance minister to replace an old aircraft that had limited flying capabilities.

"That is the government (buying the plane), not me. I don't have that kind of money," he said, adding he did not know how much the new plane costs.

Mahathir said he expected Anwar's supporters to take to the streets to demonstrate during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next week "as they want to make the most out of it.

Anwar's supporters have been holding weekly demonstrations since his dismissal to press the case of the deputy premier and finance minister who was sacked by Mahathir on Sept. 2. He has pleaded not guilty to 10 corruption and sodomy charges.

During a brief court adjournment on Thursday, Anwar was overheard telling his relatives that Mahathir violated a court gag order on public comment of his case while he is on trial.

"They said no commenting on the case but the PM said something. There are two sets of laws, one for me and one for Dr M," Anwar said.

He was apparently referring to the premier's interview with CNN on Tuesday, where Mahathir said Anwar was not "compatible for the role he is going to play as premier. This moral issue we cannot accept."

In an apparent setback for Mahathir, two high-profile foreign advisers on a Malaysian hi-tech project have quit in protest against his treatment of Anwar.

Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock, and consultant Kenichi Ohmae, an old Mahathir acquaintance, quit through "sharp letters to the premier that professed disappointment," The Far Eastern Economic Review reported.

But Mahathir cast doubts on the report on Thursday, saying: "I don't know about Alvin Toffler but I certainly know about Kenichi, he has not resigned."

During Anwar's trial Thursday, senior police officer Mazlan Mohamed Din said that Anwar's former driver Azizan Abu Bakar had sworn on verses of the Moslem holy book, the Koran, that Anwar had sodomized him.

Meanwhile, Anwar's wife Azizah has urged ASEAN countries to review their non-interference policy and do more to help her jailed husband. "ASEAN could do a little more," she told Bangkok- based Nation daily.

"You speak about justice, universal values and human rights -- that's not interference to me," Azizah said.

As meetings of APEC senior officials began Thursday, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he would raise Anwar's case with Mahathir in bilateral talks next week.

United States President Bill Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien have both declined meetings with Mahathir.

Anwar's trial, which began last week, will be halted from Saturday to avoid clashing with the APEC leaders summit on Nov. 17-18 but will resume the following week.