BANGKOK — In what seemed a reprise of one of the more unusual moments in recent Malaysian history, police officers wearing ski masks seized the country’s most prominent opposition politician, Anwar Ibrahim, on Wednesday and took him to jail on suspicion of sodomy.
After saying he would be freed, the police held Mr. Anwar in custody for at least one night.
The arrest was likely to add to political tensions that have grown since the governing party suffered the biggest losses in its history in an election in March.
Mr. Anwar, 61, has strongly denied the accusation of sodomy, which was made last month by a 23-year-old male aide. He called it a political fabrication by the same governing establishment that convicted him on charges of sodomy and corruption in 1998. The sodomy charge was later overturned. Sex between males is against the law in Malaysia.
After his previous arrest, tens of thousands of supporters challenged the government in the streets in some of the biggest demonstrations the country had seen in recent years.
The manner of Mr. Anwar’s arrest Wednesday seemed intended to intimidate and to challenge the opposition as much as to enforce the law.
According to one of his lawyers, Sankara Nair, who said he witnessed the arrest, Mr. Anwar was pulled roughly from his car and driven to the police headquarters just one hour before he had promised to turn himself in.
“If it had been an ordinary investigation, then they should have allowed him to go to the police headquarters as has been agreed and they should have allowed him to make his statement,??? said another of his lawyers, William Leong.
During his previous arrest Mr. Anwar was famously punched in the eye by a high-ranking police officer, who later apologized to him when the political winds changed direction and the Federal Court set him free in 2004.
Both times, the charges were brought at a moment when Mr. Anwar was posing a dangerous challenge to incumbent prime ministers, first Mahathir Mohamad and now Dr. Mathatir’s successor, Abdullah Badawi.
In 1998, as deputy prime minister and finance minister, Mr. Anwar had been Dr. Mahathir’s chosen successor but had apparently pushed his own ambitions too quickly for the prime minister’s taste.
The sodomy conviction was overturned after Dr. Mahathir had left office, by which time Mr. Anwar had served six years in prison.
By then, Malaysian politics had moved on, with a new prime minister and new contenders for power, and most analysts said chances were slim for a revival of Mr. Anwar’s political career.
But in the tangled political infighting of Malaysian politics, Dr. Mahathir has turned against Mr. Abdullah, who had been his new designated successor, and the government has been seriously weakened by its electoral disaster in the March election.
At that time, the governing Barisan Nasional coalition lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and ceded five states to the opposition, and Mr. Anwar’s challenge gained credibility and momentum.
About 400 supporters gathered outside the police headquarters Wednesday demanding his release and police officers in riot gear warned the crowd to disperse or face arrest. Mr. Anwar’s supporters replied with a warning of their own.
“Why are the police trying to test the people’s patience???? said Azmin Ali, a leader of Mr. Anwar’s party, the People Justice Party. “I am giving a very strong reminder to the police, don’t provoke us.???
The government denied that politics was involved in the sodomy accusation. “The purpose of the investigations is not to fix someone but is to really help him clear his name,??? Shahrir Samad, the domestic trade minister, said.
By Manirajan Ramasamy and Angus Whitley By Bloomberg.com
July 16, 2008 04:30 EDT
July 16 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was arrested following accusations he had sex with a male aide, 10 years after he was jailed for a similar charge that was later quashed. Stocks and the ringgit extended declines.
Anwar, 60, was detained near his home in Kuala Lumpur by 20 masked officers, his office said. He wasn't given a reason for the arrest, according to his lawyer Sankara Nair. Police are due to hold a press conference later in the capital.
The former deputy prime minister denies the accusations and says the current case is fabricated to destroy his plan to topple Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in two months. A decade ago, Anwar's detention triggered street riots and today's arrest will generate more popular support for his cause, analysts said.
``This will certainly increase sympathy for him,'' said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, an independent research institute near Kuala Lumpur. ``If he stays in jail and some kind of charge is introduced, we'll be resetting the clock back to 1998. This may well be the single action that tips people over to Anwar.''
The People's Justice Party, which Anwar advises, and its two allies won control of five of Malaysia's 13 states in the March 8 elections. That denied the ruling coalition, which has ruled for five decades, its two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Anwar was jailed for six years for corruption and sodomy until Malaysia's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction and released him in 2004.
Sinking Stocks
His party today called for supporters to rally calmly at the police station where the former minister was planning to give a statement. His wife, daughter and about 10 opposition lawmakers gathered at the building after the arrest, which took place shortly before 1 p.m. local time.
Investors have sold Malaysian stocks since the elections, driving down the benchmark index 23 percent this year. That's worse than the performances of the indexes in neighboring Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.
The Kuala Lumpur Composite index extended declines after the arrest to its lowest in 16 months, losing 0.6 percent. The Malaysian ringgit was the region's worst performer today, weakening 0.2 percent to 3.2270 against the U.S. dollar.
Some money managers called on Abdullah's National Front coalition to explain today's developments.
Health Threat
``The government should address the nation,'' said Scott Lim, who helps manage the equivalent of $620 million as chief investment officer at CMS Asset Management Sdn. in Kuala Lumpur. ``Instability following the March 8 election has all been very, very negative.''
The investigation into Anwar's aide's accusation comes under a section of Malaysia's penal code listing the offence of ``carnal intercourse against the order of nature.'' That includes fellatio or anal sex with another person, the code says.
``All that the people want to know now is whether Anwar sodomized or not,'' Mukhriz Mahathir, lawmaker for the National Front coalition, said in Parliament, triggering shouts from opposition members of Parliament. He called for the DNA evidence from human tissue to be produced.
About 65 percent of Malaysians consider the allegations to be politically motivated, while 11 percent believe Anwar is guilty, according to a survey of 1,000 people conducted July 14 by the Merdeka Center, Ibrahim said.
Anwar, who was confined temporarily to a wheelchair by the police beating he received in 1998, may be in danger again, said his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
`I Feel Apprehensive'
``I feel apprehensive because my husband is, 10 years down the road, not that well,'' she told reporters today after speaking to Anwar by phone following the arrest. ``He has a bad back, he's had surgery, and from the brief conversation, he said they were not gentle.''
Anwar has filed a defamation suit against his accuser and claims the 23-year-old former aide conspired with the government.
The manner of the arrest, one hour before Anwar had agreed to meet police, drew criticism from his party and others in the opposition alliance.
``Can't they conduct their investigations in a proper manner?'' Azmin Ali, vice president of People's Justice Party, told reporters at Parliament. ``The police should not test the patience of the citizens. Do they want a repeat of the `98 riots?''
Anwar should be immediately released since he was willing to cooperate with the investigation, Lim Guan Eng, head of the opposition Democratic Action Party, said in an e-mailed statement.
Malaysia's top policeman, Musa Hassan, didn't reply to a message left on his phone seeking an explanation for the arrest.
To contact the reporters on this story: Manirajan Ramasamy in Kuala Lumpur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Angus Whitley in Kuala Lumpur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
JULY 8 — As an underground rocker, Joe Kidd ticks all the boxes — long hair, black jeans, angular features and an undergraduate sense of humour. He's unhinged and has no recognised songs.
But he does have a signature move. When performing “Licking Ass to Get Ahead???, he usually shows his own bottom in a highly choreographed move to demonstrate disdain for the government.
By all accounts, it's often a crowd pleaser but as all performers know, choosing your audience is vital.
An anti-government rally in Petaling Jaya on Sunday was not the occasion. Kidd and his band, Carburetor Dung, were halfway through their third song when the moment arrived. The pants came down, and in an apparent display of modesty, he left the boxer shorts up.
It was pretty tame stuff, but not to the hardline Islamists in the crowd. They rushed the stage, threw bottles and, despite the best efforts of security staff, landed a few blows.
The carnival atmosphere at the Kelana Jaya Stadium quickly turned ugly. The entertainment programme was wisely "suspended" and a good Muslim rushed to the stage and called for evening prayers.
In one moment all the problems of Malaysia's resurgent opposition were on display. The incident showed how the opposition coalition, headed by de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, had little common ground and, like all marriages of convenience, would be difficult to sustain.
The opposition is united in its hatred for the government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. But the points of hatred differ widely.
For PAS, the country is not Muslim enough. For the moderate urban elite who have supported Anwar's PKR party, the country is too conservative. And to complicate matters further, supporters of the mainly Chinese DAP are highly suspicious of PAS and fear Anwar is too Islamic.
For the moment, government repression, scandals and an attempt to dredge up fresh "sodomy" charges against Anwar have kept the opposition united.
But it's hard to see this lasting. Sunday's rally, intended to show a united opposition, only proved how divided it is. PAS supporters objected to music even being played at the demonstration. "This should not be a rock concert," many yelled.
That sentiment ensured the entertainment was no more, as half the crowd peeled off for evening prayers in a symbolic acknowledgement of the divide.
The melee obscured what was otherwise an incredible effort from the opposition. Despite roadblocks, a government campaign of misinformation, police harassment and the protest being declared illegal, the opposition persuaded 20,000 people to attend a rally on a Sunday night.
It was close to the biggest anti-government demonstration held in Malaysia, a country where the government has systematically suppressed the opposition. It shows that the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled since independence in 1957, is deeply unpopular.
Prime Minister Abdullah is perceived as weak and ineffective. His deputy and heir apparent, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has been caught up in a scandal over the murder of a Mongolian woman, while corruption and government waste are never out of the public gaze.
This is in a climate of slowing economic growth, rising inflation and the brave decision by Abdullah to cut fuel subsidies early last month. It was economically responsible, but also gave the opposition a popular issue on which to campaign, despite Malaysia's still enjoying the region's lowest petrol prices.
That means Anwar, the supposed economic rationalist who has repeatedly called for reduced government intervention, now wants subsidies increased.
It's populist politics, but not economically sustainable with oil prices at record highs, and should have many of Anwar's supporters in the business community more than a little worried.
But so far he's getting away with it because the government, not used to a credible opposition, is playing dirty rather than debating the issues.
The fresh sodomy accusations against Anwar appeared desperate and gave the appearance of a government prepared to do anything to stay in power.
It was a shocking political miscalculation which gave further credibility to Anwar's claims that the government was out to get him.
But perhaps Sunday's protest shows that someone in the government is learning.
Its efforts to prevent people from turning up were not subtle, but more subtle than usual. There was no uniformed police presence at the rally and authorities did not prevent people from reaching the venue — the roadblocks and police checks were only for those entering Kuala Lumpur from the regions.
There were of course plenty of Special Branch members taking photos, a police helicopter overhead and parking officers handing out tickets. But there were no tear gas and water cannons like at previous gatherings.
The outcome was a show of strength and defiance by the opposition, but by letting people assemble peacefully, the government also had a victory.
It has tangible evidence of a divided opposition that would find it very difficult to govern.
JULY 9 - There is a political storm building in Malaysia that Australia cannot afford to ignore. The decision by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, to seek to avoid the worst of the turbulence when he flies into Kuala Lumpur on Thursday is short sighted.
Mr Rudd will meet the beleaguered Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, who suffered an extraordinary swing against his ruling party in March despite the considerable advantages of incumbency.
But Mr Rudd will not meet the man at the centre of the political drama, the de facto opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim.
Yet if there is one man steeled to challenge the political stranglehold of the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for half a century, it is Mr Anwar. In the late 1990s, the one-time Muslim student leader rose to the position of deputy to the then prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who presided over a Malaysian democracy of form, not substance. Harsh internal security laws, a vast police special branch, media controls and a tamed judiciary helped keep the Barisan Nasional in power.
Mr Anwar's stellar political rise was cut short in 1998 by sensational sodomy and corruption charges, protecting Dr Mahathir from a potential challenge from within. A six-year jail term and a serious beating at the hands of police turned Mr Anwar into a popular symbol of disaffection across Malaysian society. When Mr Anwar's sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004 after Dr Mahathir's retirement, there were hopes for a more open political system under Mr Abdullah.
But it is deja vu in Kuala Lumpur. Just months after a court ban expired, clearing the way for Mr Anwar to stand for election again, another sodomy allegation has been trotted out. Given the timing and the politicization of the Malaysian judiciary and police, it must be regarded with deep suspicion.
Mr Rudd's office says protocol rules out a meeting with Mr Anwar. However, it is not unusual for Australian prime ministers to meet significant political figures while overseas; Mr Rudd met Hillary Clinton and John McCain while in the US this year. George Bush and Hu Jintao met him when in Sydney before last year's elections.
How Malaysia's deepening political tensions play out, and at what cost to democracy and stability, is of great regional significance. Mr Anwar is a former deputy prime minister and now leads a coalition of opposition parties that has already delivered an unexpected body blow to the Government. He is a man Australia needs to understand.
A sex case that is engrossing Malaysia's public and stirring political unrest is getting even more bizarre. No, not the scandal surrounding political opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was accused last month in a police report of sodomizing a 23-year-old male aide. This case involves Abdul Razak Baginda — a former aide to Anwar's political nemesis, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak — who is currently standing trial for abetting the murder of his Mongolian ex-lover. In October 2006, she was shot twice in the head and her body was blown up by military-grade explosives in a jungle clearing near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital. Charged with actually having killed the woman are two members of the government's security forces who provided security for the country's top leaders.
Ever since Razak was arrested, Deputy Prime Minister Najib has denied any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged murder plot, saying he had never even met his former aide's paramour. But on July 3, Balasubramaniam Perumal — a private investigator who had been hired by Razak prior to the Mongolian's death — claimed in a sworn statement that not only had Najib met the murdered woman but that he had carried out a sexual relationship with her. The private detective's bombshell came at a news conference organized by none other than Anwar, who claims that the sodomy scandal undermining his own political future are the handiwork of Najib.
Then a day later, Balasubramaniam retracted his statement about Najib and the Mongolian. The allegation, he claimed, had been made under duress. Things got even more surreal on July 5 when the private detective and his family suddenly disappeared, according to a nephew who filed a missing-persons report. By Sunday, the Malaysian police announced they were seeking help from Interpol to find them.
All this intrigue has heightened what looks set to be a political showdown between Anwar and Najib. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, whose ruling National Front coalition suffered its worst-ever showing in elections last March, has already promised to hand over the reins to Najib, although the exact timing is unclear. Meanwhile, Anwar, who was once a Deputy Prime Minister and rising star within the National Front, has vowed that the opposition will seize power by mid-September. He broke with the ruling alliance a decade ago when a power struggle with then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad descended into political farce. Anwar was sacked from the No. 2 job and slapped with sodomy and abuse of power charges. He served six years in jail before the sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004. Now, Anwar says he will be able to gather enough defectors from the ruling alliance to topple the government. If he succeeds, Anwar will become the first opposition Prime Minister in Malaysia's history.
On July 6, as the case of the missing private investigator was taking its strange turns, thousands of Malaysians gathered in a stadium near Kuala Lumpur to protest recent government-directed hikes in fuel prices and to show support for Anwar against the latest sodomy charges. Rallies are rare in Malaysia, and this one culminated in a rousing speech by Anwar, who again promised that the opposition will unseat the National Front. Whatever happens, with two sex scandals unfolding at the same time, it's sure to be a salacious summer in Malaysia.
