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| Southeast Asia |
| Huge support for Anwar's poll bid |
| 2008-08-17 |
| Up to 30,000 people gathered to support Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's de facto opposition leader, as he launched his bid to return to parliament, in defiance of sodomy allegations made against him by a young male aide. "I am touched by the support. This is an overwhelming support," Anwar said as he arrived at the nomination centre in the Permatang Pauh constituency on Saturday. Supporters shouted Anwar's battle cry of "Reformasi" or "Reform", and waved party flags, facing off against 5,000 government supporters, trading taunts and insults. Anwar said at a rally on Friday night that the sodomy allegations were part of a government conspiracy to prevent him from ousting the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, after March elections handed the opposition alliance a third of parliamentary seats. "They are afraid of me being an MP and going on to become the opposition leader in parliament," he said. He was formally charged earlier this month, just after his wife vacated the Permatang Pauh constituency - which she has held since he went to jail - to allow him to return to parliament after a decade-long absence. Anwar accuser However, Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Anwar's accuser who is a 23-year-old former volunteer in the opposition leader's office, visited a mosque on Friday to swear he was telling the truth and challenged Anwar to do the same. He also said that he was sodomised against his will, although when Anwar was formally accused in court the charge indicated the alleged sex act was consensual. Anwar was deputy premier until he was sacked in 1998 and convicted on sodomy and corruption counts. The sodomy conviction was later overturned. Sodomy is a serious offence in Malaysia, a conservative and predominantly Muslim nation, and carries a penalty of 20 years imprisonment. Anwar, representing his Keadilan party, is running against Arif Shah Omar Shah, a veteran member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads the the ruling National Front coalition, in the August 26 poll. "I have known the people here and they know what to expect from me if I am elected. I am after all a two-term assemblyman and I have been doing my work since way back," Arif said. "I know Anwar well. We have been friends and I look forward to taking him on." In a racial breakdown that broadly mirrors the national population, more than two-thirds of voters in Permatang Pauh are Muslim Malays, alongside Chinese who make up 26 per cent and Indians at six per cent. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 Malaysians facing sodomy allegations - what does that have to do with drilling for oil in Alaska? Nevermind |
| Posted by: Emily Litella 2008-08-17 20:31 |
| #5 I think the translate function only works on Pakistani words, Frank. That one appears to my uneducated eye to be writing in Malay. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-08-17 20:31 |
| #4 hmmmm...too bad "translate" doesn't work on comments. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-08-17 19:12 |
| #3 "I am touched by the support" |
| Posted by: Betty Grating2215 2008-08-17 08:45 |
| #2 Malay elections. That's where the PAS' Islamofascist party puts out brochures that read, "Vote PAS Or You Will Go To Hell." |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-08-17 04:18 |
| #1 Permatang Pauh Voters decide for Nation? Pengundi Permatang Pauh tentukan untuk Negara? 1. Voters of Permatang Pauh will vote come 26 August 2008. Who to vote for and What to vote for? (Man of Honour in Nostradamus Quatrains on Wag the Dog?) Pengundi-pengundi Permatang Pauh akan undi menjelang 26 Ogos 2008. Mengundi Siapa and mengundi untuk Apa? (Man of Honour di Nostradamus Quatrains Wag the Dog?) 2. 50 Questions to test your Conscience at Jeyklls and Hydes in Malaysia – Are You? 50 Soalan untuk menguji Suara Hati anda di Jeyklls and Hydes di Malaysia. Adakah Anda? http://patek1472.wordpress.com |
| Posted by: patek1472 2008-08-17 02:02 |