Anwar vows to seize power

MALAYSIA: Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to seize power soon, stepping up his campaign against the government as he fights back an accusation of sodomizing a young worker in his office.

Addressing some 7,000 people on Tuesday night, Anwar accused the ruling National Front coalition government of being corrupt, inefficient and uncaring. He promised to set right the problems plaguing the country, including bringing down fuel prices, which were raised by a whopping 41 percent to 63 percent last month.

The opposition will "rule in a short while" and "the next day we will lower the price of oil," he said to loud cheers in his first public meeting since he was hit by the sodomy accusation last week.

Police are investigating the allegation by a 23-year-old male aide. Anwar, 60, who is married with six children, says he is a victim of a conspiracy by a desperate government clinging to power. Sodomy, even if consensual, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

The government has denied any hand in the claim.

Anwar was fired as deputy prime minister in 1998 when he was faced with a similar sodomy accusation, and spent six years in prison until Malaysia's highest court overturned the charge in 2004. While in custody, he was beaten by police and suffered from arsenic poisoning.

"I went to prison once and was beaten half to death. Do you think I will remain silent now? We will fight!" he said, adding that his accuser was being manipulated by a top politician in the government.

Anwar led a three-party opposition coalition to spectacular gains in March 8 general elections, which reduced the National Front's strength to 140 seats for a thin 30-seat majority in the 222-member Parliament.

Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, AP