By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The plans of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to “take over” the government by Sep 16, are “on track”, a political aide has said, though he is in the eye of a storm after being charged with sodomy.
Claiming “unwavering support” of at least four lawmakers from the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), Azmin Ali, vice president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) that Ibrahim leads, said: “So far, there is no change. We are still on track.”
The BN and the government has ridiculed Ibrahim’s threat that he has been making since his party emerged strong at the head of an opposition alliance, winning 82 parliamentary seats and control of five states in March.
PKR had organised a 15,000-strong rally at a stadium here last Monday. Ali announced three more rallies in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Shah Alam in the course of next week.
Ibrahim’s offensive, renewed through Ali, came even as the government’s Anti Corruption Agency (ACA) launched a probe into his accusations that those who fabricated the sodomy charge against him a decade back, and had failed, were now holding key positions in the present government.
Ibrahim has named attorney general Abdul Gani Patail and police chief Musa Hassan for organising what came to be known as “black eye” incident in 1998.
Ibrahim, then deputy prime minister, was sacked by prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and faced trial on sodomy and a long imprisonment.
Hassan told media Wednesday: “Let the allegations be investigated. I will not interfere in the investigation nor comment on it,” The Star said.
ACA’s director of investigations Shukri Abdull is leading the investigation.
ACA director-general Ahmad Said Hamdan said: “I am confident that my officers will do a good, efficient and responsible job in investigating Anwar’s claims. We are aware that this is a high-profile case and of public interest.”