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Anwar moves Islamic court

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday sought the intervention of an Islamic court in a case which he portrayed as a politically motivated attempt to prevent him from coming to power.

In another unusual move, Mr. Anwar took temporarily refuge at the Turkish Ambassador’s residence in Kuala Lumpur on June 29, fearing his safety. He dismissed the charge that he sexually assaulted a male aide.

Now challenged to swear in a religious fashion that he did not commit the alleged crime, Mr. Anwar said he wanted to go by judicial opinion under Islamic law. He would assert his innocence in a religious procedure if advised to do so, he said.

Mr. Anwar’s conviction in a civil court, on a similar allegation by a different person several years ago, was later judicially annulled; and he was released from prison accordingly.

His move, with no formal charge filed against him in any civil court so far, acquired unusual importance. The ruling coalition lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority in the recent snap poll, and Mr. Anwar is leading a campaign to unseat the government.

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