Malaysia's Anwar loses bid to lift political ban

Malaysia's Anwar loses bid to lift political ban

Barani Krishnan, Reuters/Putrajaya, Malaysia

Malaysian dissident politician Anwar Ibrahim failed on Wednesday in a final court bid to erase his criminal record and free himself of a ban on holding political office, but he vowed not to be silenced.

Malaysia's highest court, which two weeks ago quashed a sodomy conviction against the former deputy premier and freed him from almost six years in jail, denied a request to re-hear his appeal against his last remaining conviction, for corruption.

The conviction means he cannot stand for party office or parliament until April 2008. Only a rare royal pardon can beat the ban, but Anwar said he was undecided whether to ask for one.

"I'll continue with my agenda. It doesn't make a difference to me," he told Reuters by phone from his hospital bed in Munich, Germany, where he was recovering from back surgery.

"I think the law on the political ban is quite clear. Under the law, you cannot hold political or public office but you can be very active politically. You can give speeches, hold news conferences. You can even hop down to Singapore or Bangkok to give a press conference if there's a problem."

Anwar has already served his sentence on the corruption count, which landed him in jail in 1999 and sparked violent street protests. He was accused of abuse of power in trying to cover up the sodomy investigation.

Anwar says both convictions were trumped up by former leader Mahathir Mohamad to ruin his political career.

In a statement issued after the judges' ruling, Anwar vowed not to weaken in his fight for democracy and added: "The decision will instead strengthen my resolve to further ensure the independence of the judiciary becomes a reality."

Explaining the legal judgment, Federal Court Judge Alauddin Mohamad Sheriff declared: "We would say that there is no fraud or suppression of evidence and neither is there new evidence before the court which merits the court to entertain a reopening or rehearing of the case."

A pardon from Malaysia's king, given on the advice of government, is now the only way for Anwar to beat the ban.

A general election is not due until 2009, but a pardon would enable the former deputy premier to lead a party or to stand in a by-election, making him a potentially more potent threat to the government, which he says needs to do more to tackle corruption.

The leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Action Party, called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who succeeded Mahathir a year ago, to grant a pardon.

But Abdullah's office declined to comment on whether he would recommend a pardon, noting that Anwar had yet to ask for one.

Share prices edged lower after the court's ruling. Local investors had bet that more legal success for Anwar would please foreign investors, who had been turned off by his jailing and looked on Malaysia more favorably after he was freed.

Anwar's shock release on Sept. 2 sent a shudder through Malaysian politics because he has been viewed as the only serious opposition threat to the political establishment.

Before his jailing in 1999, he had been a lightning rod for discontented Malays, the ethnic grouping that dominates domestic politics. He had commanded a strong faction within the ruling party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

After his dismissal Anwar galvanized disparate opposition groups, and his jailing sparked violent street protests and wounded UMNO at general elections held later that year.