PKR fears Anwar an assassination target
Malaysiakini.com
Jun 29, 2008
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz

PKR today said party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has received threats to his life and is currently holed up at the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
MCPX

wan azizah pc on anwar sodomy saiful bukhari azlan allegations 290608 03According to PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, the latest move to implicate Anwar in a sodomy charge lodged by an aide signaled a more serious effort by certain quarters to silence him for good.

He said that Anwar has been targeted not just for political assassination but has also received credible threats to his life.

"We (in PKR), and I myself, have received information that this is part of an attempt not only to assassinate him politically, but if possible, to kill him physically," Syed Husin told a packed press conference at the Quality Hotel in Shah Alam.

wan azizah pc on anwar sodomy saiful bukhari azlan allegations 290608 01Among those present at the press conference is Anwar's wife, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

At one point, Wan Azizah brandished her mobile phone to show a photo of the alleged victim with Najib Razak's aide in front of the deputy prime minister's office (left).

The photo (below) shows Saiful (in blue shirt) with Najib's special officer Khairil Anas Yusof. 

anwar sodomy saiful bukhari azlan allegations 290608And at a later press conference, party vice-president Azmin Ali revealed that Anwar was presently holed up in the Turkish embassy for the sake of his safety, which was why the PKR leader was not at today's press conferences.

"He has been there since 6am. No one can visit him except for his wife and children," said Azmin.

He said that Anwar would be at the embassy indefinitely.

Anwar's promise to change government

Meanwhile, Syed Husin said that the party has taken all necessary steps to ensure that Anwar is safe.

He said that the assassination attempt on Anwar could also be as a result of the possible change of government as alluded by Anwar in recent months.

The shocking announcement comes on the heels of a police report lodged yesterday against Anwar by an aide, 23-year old Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, for sodomy that was allegedly committed at a luxury condomonium in Damansara.

Responding to this yesterday, Anwar said the accusation against him was the result of "interested parties" to attack him in retaliation for his possession of evidence that allegedly implicates two top government officers.

He said he had evidence that inspector-general of police Musa Hassan and attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail were involved in misconduct, including fabrication of evidence in the cases launched against him after his sacking from the government in 1998.

Syed Husin added today that Anwar possessed the evidence against Musa and Gani for about two weeks now.

Anwar only disclosed this recently, said Syed Husin, "in view of the so many things that have been happening and he didn't want to water down the effects of these things."

Several party leaders are expected to lodge a police report against Musa and Abdul Gani tomorrow.

wan azizah pc on anwar sodomy saiful bukhari azlan allegations 290608 05Syed Husin also said that the motivation behind the death threats perhaps lie in the "fear" of certain quarters in the changes that could occur should Anwar succeed in toppling the BN-led government.

"There is great fear that there will be a change of administration and government in this country. There is so much at stake for them, and they have to stop, at all costs, this change.

"This is what they want to do. There are big interests at stake, especially those governing, that this change does not happen," he said.

Commenting on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's denial that the government was behind the latest sodomy allegations, Syed Husin asked: "If he's not behind it, who is?"

"Is he saying the AG and IGP (are behind the police report)?" he added.

A real threat

When asked further about the assassination plot, Syed Husin declined to reveal any more regarding "the nature and source of the (death) threat", but assured reporters that "it is a real threat" and efforts are being made to ensure his safety and protection.

"There is fear for his safety. We want him to be in a safe place," he said.

Upon his disclosure that the death threat had been known to party leaders over past week - and queried in turn as to why the assassination plot was coming to light only now - Syed Husin said they had kept mum over it so as not to create fear among PKR followers and the public at large.

"That in itself would create fear among our followers, (and) even among those people who want to come over to us. We have to weigh the positive and negative aspects, and we didn't want to create... a sort of instability within the society and country," he said.

It is now being revealed following the government's latest move against Anwar, which Syed Husin said "is enough to create instability".

To another question, Syed Husin said he was not aware of any report to be lodged over the death threat claim.

There is the concern, however, that the police may use or abuse their powers to arrest Anwar, said Syed Husin.

Supporters told to keep calm

Asked why a police report was being lodged against the IGP and AG despite PKR's mistrust of the police and judicial institutions, Syed Husin said it was to show that PKR followed the laws and procedures.

"Despite our mistrust, we want the police to do its duties," he said.

According to Syed Husin, the party hoped that its supporters do not go beyond the laws despite the latest developments as it would give a pretext for the government to crackdown on the opposition and dissent generally.

"We don't want it to cause any instability, certainly, because we want peace and order to be maintained because the government would want to see certain instabilities, certain troubles, so that they can crack down upon the opposition, especially upon PKR, and to probably proclaim all kinds of acts or laws which can (curb) the freedoms of this country."

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