PKR planned to announce by-election this week: Anwar
Malaysiakini.com
Jun 30, 2008

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who took refuge at the Turkish embassy amid threats and sodomy accusations, said his party had planned to announce a by-election in which he would be contesting.
MCPX

Anwar said the sodomy allegations were aimed at derailing his political comeback, and came just as he was about to re-enter parliament through a by-election.

"This is their intention. You know we will announce a by-election this week. I will contest in the by-election, the police knew that," he said.

To force a by-election, PKR will need to ask one of its 31 parliamentarian to resign.

Alternatively, the party could be hoping that the court would this Firday declared the victory of Wanita Umno chief Rafidah Aziz in Kuala Kangsar invalid.

Businessman Ahmad Jamaluddin Abd Majid has filed an election petition challenging the results in the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat as Rafidah had failed to sign two out of three sets of her nomination papers in the March 8 general election.

He told AFP earlier today that he would not leave his sanctuary in the Turkish embassy until the government guarantees his safety.

"I need categorical assurance on my safety. You know I have previously been assaulted to near death," Anwar said, referring to a beating he received after being sacked as deputy premier and hit with sex and corruption charges in 1998.

anwar ibrahim pkr quality hotel images 300608 02"Sure, if they give me an assurance for my safety today I will leave the embassy today," he said in a phone interview from the mission in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar fled there on Sunday at the invitation of the ambassador, saying he had been threatened and feared a government assassination plot after facing "fabricated" accusations that he sodomised a male aide.

"There's two reasons why I decided to come to the embassy. It's not just for my personal safety, it's also for the stability of the nation," he said, referring to expectations of major protests if he is arrested.

"I urge my supporters to be calm but firm. Enough is enough, we will fight it out."

anwar ibrahim pkr quality hotel images 300608 04

After his sacking, a watershed event in Malaysian politics, Anwar was convicted on sodomy and corruption charges which landed him in jail for six years.

He was released in 2004 when the sex charge was overturned but the corruption conviction still stands, and prevented him from holding public office until mid-April.

He is now eligible to run for parliament and one of the parliamentarians in his PKR is expected to stand aside for him.

Still on track to seize power

Anwar, who has said since the March elections that he has the numbers to form a new government with the help of defecting lawmakers from the ruling coalition, said he was still on track to seize power.

turkey embassy in malaysia 300608"The momentum is still on, I will continue to monitor the progress. It has never been so good, they know that," he said of the government which is led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Umno party.

"Umno members and MPs have promised to come out and campaign for me so they come out with these sexual allegations to stop me from securing power," he said.

Anwar said that after his experiences a decade ago, he had no faith in the "due process" of the law in Malaysia, and reiterated allegations that elements in the government had orchestrated the new charges.

anwar ibrahim pkr quality hotel images 300608 01"Certain people in the hierarchy are involved in these allegations. Evidence from photos shows this," he said, referring to images of his accuser posing with ministers and government aides which his party has aired.

"They have made fabrications in the court, do they want me to believe in due process?" he asked.

Anwar said that elements in the police who were involved in the original investigation against him were now acting to sideline him because they feared revenge if he becomes prime minister.

"If you want to fight a political battle, do it cleanly," he said.

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