Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim embarks Tuesday on a nationwide tour ahead of a verdict in his long-running sodomy trial, to declare his innocence and campaign for a change of government. The trial, which opened nearly two years ago, is the latest crisis for the former finance minister who was sacked and jailed on separate sodomy charges a decade ago, only to make a comeback at the helm of a resurgent opposition.
Ahead of the January 9 verdict which could see Anwar jailed for up to 20 years, he will visit eight states in a whirlwind six-day tour beginning in southern Johor state and ending in a courthouse rally.
“I am making a call for change, enough of this arrogance of power, the abuses of the ruling party, we need change so that such baseless accusations, the persecution of individuals like myself, do not continue,” he told AFP. “The tour is not only to declare my innocence but to convince the people that it is time to vote out Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government so as to move towards greater democracy and openness.”
Najib has until March 2013 to call general elections, but is widely expected to go to the people this year with hopes of winding back the stunning gains the opposition secured in the last polls in 2008.
Anwar’s opposition alliance, led by his Parti Keadilan Rakyat, won an unprecedented one-third of parliamentary seats in that ballot, stunning the Barisan Nasional government which has ruled for half a century. The new sodomy allegations, levelled by a young former aide, were lodged soon after, fuelling Anwar’s allegations that the charges were concocted to destroy his political career.
Anwar’s tour begins in the ruling party’s bastion of Johor before heading to the central states of Negeri Sembilan and Malacca on Wednesday, and the opposition’s stronghold of Kelantan in the north on Thursday. Event organisers say they are expecting several thousand supporters at the late-night event in Johor to hear Anwar speak.
Anwar is famed for his eloquence and charisma and typically draws large crowds keen for a display of his caustic wit and fiery rhetoric.
