Mahathir says Anwar plotted to topple him

Mahathir says Anwar plotted to topple him

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said his sacked deputy Anwar Ibrahim had plotted to topple him while putting on a friendly face, local newspapers reported on Saturday.

In the first detailed accusations against Anwar's alleged plan to oust him, Mahathir said on Friday that his former protege had planned to take control of parts of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party as part of the bid for power.

"He appeared to be very good to me but he was actually planning ways of bringing me down. At first I did not believe when people told me about this, but I now know this to be true," the national Bernama news agency quoted him as telling reporters in his northern home state of Kedah.

Anwar also kept records of party leaders which were to be used to incriminate and topple them at UMNO's triennial party elections next year, Mahathir said.

"This is the real conspiracy," he said.

Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister and finance minister on Sept. 2, and as UMNO member a day later.

Mahathir said Anwar was morally unfit to lead the country. The sacked minister faces five charges of sodomy and another five of abusing power.

Anwar had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had repeatedly said there was a conspiracy among top UMNO leaders to remove him.

Mahathir is the president of UMNO, the dominant party in the ruling National Front coalition. UMNO's president is traditionally appointed as the prime minister.

Mahathir said Anwar was not sincere when he said he would not challenge for the president's post.

Meanwhile, the drumbeat of criticism continued against the government for the use of the draconian Internal Security Act to arrest Anwar and his closest aides.

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said on Saturday the cabinet should address the adverse international image of Malaysia and take measures to restore the country's standing by releasing Anwar and the other detainees.

"The cabinet... should address the adverse international image of Malaysia and take emergency measures to restore the nation's international standing by the immediate release of Anwar and all other detainees under the Internal Security Act," Lim said in a statement.

The government should also commission "a completely independent inquiry into Anwar's allegations of police brutality against him on the first night of his arrest on Sept. 20," the statement said.

Anwar alleged he was punched and slapped while blindfolded while in custody, which bruised his left eye.

The government has set up a team of senior police officers to investigate the claims.

The Bar Council, which groups Malaysian lawyers, said those detained under the ISA should be immediately released and the act repealed.

"The Bar Council has always maintained that the ISA is an oppressive piece of legislation and condemns the continued use of this draconian legislation," it said in a statement on Saturday.

"In the meanwhile, the Bar Council also calls upon the government to accord persons detained under the ISA the right to know the reasons for their detention and to inform the families of the same; the right to have unimpeded access to counsel, and the right to have reasonable and regular visits from their families," the council said.