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.