Malaysia 

BARRY PORTER in Singapore 
Sacked Malaysian finance minister Anwar Ibrahim has told supporters he may have been pushed out because he objected to special favours allegedly being granted to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's friends and eldest son.

 The allegations have come to light in a tape recording of a private address Mr Anwar gave hours after being deposed as deputy prime minister and finance minister last Wednesday.

 In that tape, obtained by the Singapore Business Times, Mr Anwar claimed his woes began after decisions he made as finance minister relating to troubled Perwaja Steel and a separate proposed transaction between a state-linked shipping corporation and two firms belonging to Mirzan Mahathir, the premier's eldest son.

 "I had problems with decisions involving certain corporate bigwigs," Mr Anwar said, without elaborating.

 "I acted responsibly . . . did not show my anger, especially in front of the prime minister . . . but of course my observation did not create a feeling of ease."

 Mr Anwar said some so-called "bigwigs" were irritated when he stepped up his anti-corruption drive last year, while Dr Mahathir was away.

 Around the same time, there was also unease over a deal between state shipping group Malaysia International Shipping Corp (Misc) and Konsortium Perkapalan and Diperdana, two firms controlled by Mr Mirzan.

 Mr Mirzan had received approval to begin talks to buy the government's 23.95 per cent stake in Misc in July last year, but the deal fell through due to price disagreements.

 National oil company Petronas, controlled by the prime minister's department, then stepped in and bought the Misc stake.

 Misc then bought all the shipping assets of Konsortium for US$220 million in cash to help Konsortium pay its debts amid the country's worsening financial crisis. This included Konsortium's stake in Pacific Basin Shipping of Hong Kong.

 Some politicians have alleged the price was not struck at arm's length.

 Mirzan Mahathir claims he was not involved.

 Mr Anwar claimed his sacking was a political conspiracy. He is being investigated by police over allegations ranging from sexual misconduct to working as a foreign agent.

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