BY: Ahirudin Attan

MANY Malaysians are nervous about the political and economic uncertainty following the latest sodomy allegations against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Five Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur interviewed by my paper yesterday said the saga put an additional strain on the country, which is still struggling to cope with the surprise outcome of the March general election as well as last month's fuel-price hike.

"Politically, this scandal could split the country worse than in 1998," said Mr Mohamed Zakhir Mohamed, 40. He was referring to the political upheaval a decade ago which started with the Asian financial crisis and ended with the jailing of Datuk Seri Anwar on corruption and sodomy charges.

"This is the worst possible time for Malaysians to be divided, considering the domestic and global economic state and direction," Mr Mohamed, who is the director of a property developer, told my paper.

Mr E. Woon, an advertising executive, said he was saddened that "something like this had to happen when the country is desperately trying to keep afloat".

He added: "There are enough issues that impact our 'nasi lemak and teh tarik' and unless this scandal can be put to rest soon our livelihoods will suffer further."

A couple of people who spoke to my paper were leery of the claim by Mr Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a 23-year-old Anwar aide, that he had been sodomised by the 60-year-old politician last week.

"Just consider the logic of the complaint. A 23-year old man who just got engaged last month gets sodomised by force, or without his consent," said Mr Rashid Abdullah, 53, who owns a publishing house.

"Anwar Ibrahim is a 60-year old with a back problem. He was also on the way up, politically."

Mr Amin Iskandar, executive director of the National Institute of Electoral Integrity, a non-partisan NGO, said: "I think that the sodomy charges will not work to discredit Anwar. I met a few people including Umno members who were angry with this." Mr Amin, 28, said his organisation would monitor the case.

Policemen standing guard before Parliament House

Then there are those who are confounded by the swift turn of the tide against Mr Anwar, who had appeared to be on the cusp of seizing power from the government.

"I don't know what to believe. Anwar could be right and he said he was going to be assassinated. His aide could be right. The Government could be right. I really don't know," said Mr Tan Ming Kok, who runs a photo-developing shop in a shopping complex in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

"But as a businessman, I know the economy is going down. More outlets (at the shopping complex) are closing every other week. I haven't made a sale all morning. The government should focus on helping businesses."

A defiant Mr Anwar said yesterday he would detail his plans to run for parliament and announce the defection of four ruling party lawmakers to his alliance this week.

He claimed yesterday that he had been about to announce his plans to contest a by-election for parliament on Tuesday when he was hit with the sodomy accusation.

"I (was) supposed to announce my candidacy in a by-election. Well, I can't announce now. This is derailed temporarily," he told reporters as he left the Turkish embassy yesterday evening.

He had sought refuge there hours after Mr Saiful made his police complaint on Saturday, saying that government elements were plotting to harm him.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak denied there was a conspiracy against Mr Anwar, and said the government "can assure him of his personal safety."

"This is not a question of political persecution. This is a question of the law, he told reporters, adding the government would "never" harm a politician.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Anwar filed a defamation suit through his lawyers in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, seeking unspecified compensation from the aide.

Sodomy, even if consensual, is punishable by 20 years' imprisonment in Malaysia.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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