Opposition urges snap poll to end Malaysian crisis
Opposition urges snap poll to end Malaysian crisis
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysia's opposition leader urged Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Monday to call a snap election to help resolve the nation's worsening political crisis.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader Lim Kit Siang said the crisis, worsened by the sacking and detention of finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, could derail Malaysia's efforts to put its recession-hit economy back on track.
"The DAP calls for an immediate resolution of the ballooning political crisis in Malaysia without which there can be no full confidence restoration to effect the speediest economic turnaround," he said in a statement.
"One way to resolve the political crisis is for Mahathir to dissolve parliament and call for new general elections to seek a clear national mandate from the people," he said.
"There is a great political effervescence among Malaysians who hunger for change...," Lim said.
"This political effervescence for political change and reforms did not begin on Sept. 2 when Anwar Ibrahim was sacked in a most shocking and unprecedented manner."
General elections need not be called until April 2000.
Mahathir's ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition has a four-fifths majority in parliament.
On Saturday, police arrested at least 241 people after clashes between riot police and protesters in the heart of the capital. Two policemen and 12 protesters were injured in the most violent of the street demonstrations that began on Sept. 20 when Anwar led 30,000 protesters through the streets of the capital demanding an end to Mahathir's 17-year rule.
Anwar has pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges of sodomy and corruption. His trial on four of the five corruption counts begins next Monday.
A senior cabinet minister rejected on Monday calls by human rights and opposition groups for Mahathir to resign and hold early polls after violent street protests in the capital.
"Who are they? Only the people can decide to replace the prime minister in an election," Information Minister Mohamad Rahmat told AFP on the sidelines of a meeting of Commonwealth journalists addressed by Mahathir.
"For as long as the people still support the prime minister, I think the others shouldn't interfere. We've got bigger things to do. We are talking about the future of the country," he said.
Separately, Anwar's wife said on Monday violent riots over the weekend were sparked by growing frustration with police brutality and the 17-year rule of Mahathir.
Azizah Ismail, called the rioting "a violent tragedy," and a "manifestation of the people's anger toward Dr. Mahathir, which could not be contained any longer."
She warned that more disruptions could break out.
"They have no other avenue," Azizah told reporters, adding she believed demonstrators acted out of self-defense after being provoked by riot police.
"Trouble may probably occur if the people have to defend themselves from the brutal actions of the riot squad."
Azizah, who was appointed by Anwar to lead his reform movement while he is in custody, denied any role in organizing Saturday's protests.
On Monday, Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last colonial governor, voiced his support for Anwar, while his wife paid a house call to Azizah.
"He is a friend of mine and to many around the world," Patten told a group of international editors. "The whole world will be watching what happens in his case."
Patten compared Anwar to Myanmar's dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.