Malaysia
GREG TORODE and Reuters in Kuala Lumpur
Ousted deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim will fight to get back into
the ruling UMNO party rather than take his anti-graft battle into opposition
ranks.
Scotching talk Mr Anwar was poised to set up a new political party amid allegations of rampant bisexuality and treason, his wife Dr Wan Azizah said her husband still "believed in the system".
"That is why in the beginning he joined UMNO [United Malays National Organisation]," Dr Azizah said.
"He believed UMNO was the strength of the country."
Her comments came as Mr Anwar kept a noticeably lower profile, talking to advisers and lawyers inside his house for much of the day as both political and police pressures intensified.
He emerged last night to tell supporters his brother had been arrested.
"I have some information that my adopted brother has been arrested and I think in one or two days' time my secretary, Azmin, will be arrested too," Mr Anwar said.
"They should take me away. Don't harass my staff, my supporters and my family," he said.
Opposition figures and students, women's and religious groups have visited the house but senior political figures are closing ranks behind Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Mr Anwar was attacked in Malaysia's pro-government press, while his most senior supporter, UMNO Youth leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was advised to quit.
Mr Anwar has not left the house in the swank suburban district of Bukit Damansara since Friday. He said last night he would begin travelling the country on Wednesday to whip up support for a national reform movement.
He faces possible detention without trial as police probe the claims which saw him sacked from the Government and party last week. Dr Mahathir has yet to comment on the claims or detail his reasons for the sacking. But colleagues have criticised Mr Anwar's moves since.
Foreign Minister and UMNO vice-president Abdullah Badawi slammed his former colleague as "irresponsible" and warned he was creating a bad image of Malaysia.
"Now that he is out, he wants to take to the streets and make all sorts of accusations," said Mr Badawi, who is seen as a possible replacement. "He should resolve the issue through the legal process."
Efforts have also been stepped up to distance Mr Anwar from his Muslim support base, with UMNO information chief Dr Yusuf Nor saying the party was "merely safeguarding its members and ensuring that they followed Islamic teachings".
Dr Nor also called on Muslims to "uphold the sanctity" of mosques.
Mr Anwar was carried shoulder-high by supporters after prayers at a mosque near his house on Friday.
